Veteran’s Service Office introduces Assistant Officer Susan Kohn
Susan Kohn has been with the Marquette County Veteran’s Service Office since March of 2020, but with the pandemic ramping up at that time, many clients didn’t have a chance to meet her face-to-face. The Assistant Veteran’s Service Officer now welcomes veterans in her office in the County Services Center at 480 Underwood Avenue in Montello, or by any method they wish, to check into the services offered there.
Sue works with Veteran’s Service Director Kris Bergh serving Marquette County Veterans. As a part-time employee, she shares many responsibilities with Bergh, who oversees the office.
She takes care of many veterans’ needs, such as burial benefits which include obtaining a marker for the veteran’s grave. Sue will address other kinds of upkeep for veterans’ graves in Marquette County cemeteries as well. She will also take orders for memorial bricks that are placed on the Veterans Memorial Wall in front of the courthouse.
“I help a veteran in any way I can,” Sue explains. Recently she helped one person obtain a veteran disable parking pass. Then there’s the task of solving problems that crop up with veterans’ medical bills such as when they are not correctly billed to the Veterans Administration and instead go to the veteran by mistake.
When the COVID-19 vaccines first came out, she sent out mailings to help veterans in selected age groups have access to those vaccines. Currently she is contacting Korean era veterans to see if they are interested in a new Ambassador for Peace Medal issued by the South Korean government. She also assists with some disability claims for veterans with service-related injuries.
The flexibility of this part-time position allows her and Bergh to work together and share many responsibilities.
With around 10% of Marquette County’s population estimated to be veterans, there are a lot of people who can take advantage of this office’s services. However, Kohn says the biggest problem she sees is that they are “invisible” to many veterans who are not even aware the office exists. That was the case for herself, an Army veteran who didn’t realize every county has a Veteran’s Service Office for many years after she was out of the service in 1989.
Kohn personally first benefitted from the Army’s College Fund, which helped her become a pharmacist, a job she held for 30 years.
Her message to veterans is, “Here we are!” She encourages veterans to look into programs for which they are eligible, whether it’s through the Marquette County or another county’s Veteran’s Service Office.
Veterans can make appointments to see Bergh or Kohn at the office, or ask questions about their services at 608-297-3187.
