Veterans Assistance Counselor 1/2 (St. Mary)

State of Louisiana; Louisiana (MO); On-site; USD 36,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance Coverage

Parental Leave

Holidays and Leave

Retirement benefits

Job summary

The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs (LDVA) seeks a Veterans Assistance Counselor to serve veterans in their parish, conducting personal interviews, counseling on entitlements, and assisting with claim forms and documentation.

This role supports LDVA’s mission by connecting veterans to earned benefits, monitoring claims, and promoting outreach within the community. Work is typically during standard business hours with a starting hourly pay of $17.56 plus a TRIPS incentive.

Qualifications

• Minimum qualifications: honorably discharged veteran who served on active, full‑time basis and one of: three years of veterans service work/public benefits claims examining/social services or human resources; six years of full‑time experience in any field; a bachelor's degree.

Responsibilities

• Review case files to ensure compliance with laws and regulations as outlined by relevant decisions.
• Examine medical information and determine degree of residual disability for rating purposes.
• Initiate formal appellant proceedings or advise claimants on actions to obtain proper rating.
• Participate in veterans outreach functions to promote public interest and LDVA awareness.

Job description

About This Job

“Relentlessly advocate for Louisiana veterans and their families to ensure they receive superior customer service and support by connecting them to the benefits they have earned in service to our country, while meeting the economic, educational and employment needs of transitioning service members looking to make Louisiana their home.”

At the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs (LDVA), our mission is to honor and serve Louisiana’s veterans and their families. We do this by connecting them to the benefits they’ve earned, providing dedicated support, and enhancing their quality of life through compassionate service across the state.

We’re looking for a Veterans Assistance Counselor (VAC) 1/2 to join our team. In this role, the Veterans Assistance Counselor (VAC) 1/2 will serve the veterans of their assigned parish. The incumbent will conduct personal interviews and counsel veterans as well as their dependents regarding entitlement under state and federal laws. The VAC will assist veterans and their dependents in completing a variety of forms, gathering supporting documentary information, and monitoring the processing of claims to a justifiable conclusion.

Ideal Candidate Competencies

• Accepting Direction: The ability to be open and willing to follow guidance or instructions.
• Communicating Effectively: The ability to convey information, ideas, and emotions using structured communication methods that promote understanding and engagement.
• Learning Actively: The ability to pursue learning, seek feedback, and integrate new knowledge to improve personal and professional performance.
• Acting Decisively: The ability to make timely, confident decisions using sound reason.
• Displaying Expertise: The ability to demonstrate specialized knowledge, skills, and experience to apply subject‑matter expertise in diverse and evolving contexts.
• Displaying Professionalism: The ability to uphold workplace standards through consistent conduct, responsible communication, and consideration for others.
• Managing Time: The ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and allocate time to ensure timely completion of work goals.

If you're compassionate, organized, and thrive in a people‑centered environment, this could be the opportunity for you!

Minimum Qualifications

This job requires the incumbent to be an honorably discharged veteran of the United States Armed Forces who served on an active, full‑time basis and meet one of the following qualification requirements:

• Three years of experience in veterans service work, public benefits claims examining, social services or human resources;
• Six years of full‑time experience in any field;
• A bachelor's degree.

Experience Substitution: Every 30 semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will be credited as one year of experience towards the six years of full‑time work experience in any field. The maximum substitution allowed is 120 semester hours which substitutes for a maximum of four years of experience in any field.

No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.

Job Duties

Job Duties and Other Information As An Veterans Assistance Counselor, You'll Help Create a Positive Experience For Every Person Who Walks Through Our Doors. In This Role, You Will:

• Review individual case files following the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs rating action to determine compliance with current laws, rules, and regulations as outlined in U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims decisions.
• Examine medical information including but not limited to, service medical records, physical examinations, hospital reports and post‑operative reports, and determines degree of residual disability for comparison with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs assignment.
• Initiates formal appellant proceedings, and/or otherwise advises the claimant take specific action to obtain proper rating, as necessary.
• Participate in veterans outreach functions to promote public interest and awareness as requested by veterans organizations or the LDVA Administrative Staff.

Position Specific Details

Appointment Type: Job Appointment (a temporary appointment not to exceed four years).

Career Progression: This position can be filled as a Veterans Assistance Counselor 1 or 2.

Work Schedule: Work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday - Friday.

Compensation: The starting pay for this position is $17.56/hr. (Special Entrance Rate); $2.00 work incentive pay (premium pay) upon completion of TRIPS Certification.

Contact

For Further Information About This Vacancy, Contact:

Torin McClanahan

Human Resources Specialist

[e-mail]

Benefits

Louisiana is a State As a Model Employer (SAME) that supports the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities.

Louisiana State Government represents a wide variety of career options and offers an outstanding opportunity to make a difference through public service. With an array of career opportunities in every major metropolitan center and in many rural areas, state employment provides an outstanding option to begin or continue your career.

As a State Employee, You Will Earn Competitive Pay, Choose From a Variety Of Benefits, And Have Access To a Great Professional Development Program:

Insurance Coverage More information can be found at https://info.groupbenefits.org/

Parental Leave – Up to six weeks paid parental leave

More information can be found at https://www.civilservice.louisiana.gov/Parental-Leave/Default.aspx

Holidays and Leave – State employees receive the following paid holidays each year:

• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
• Mardi Gras,
• Good Friday,
• Memorial Day,
• Independence Day,
• Labor Day,
• Veteran's Day,
• Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
• Additional holidays may be proclaimed by the Governor

State employees earn sick and annual leave which can be accumulated and saved for future use. Your accrual rate increases as your years of service increase.

Retirement – State Of Louisiana Employees Are Eligible To Participate In Various Retirement Systems (based On The Type Of Appointment And Agency For Which An Employee Works). These Retirement Systems Provide Retirement Allowances And Other Benefits For State Officers And Employees And Their Beneficiaries. State Retirement Systems May Include (but Are Not Limited To):

• Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (www.lasersonline.org). LASERS has provided this video to give you more detailed information about their system
• Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana (www.trsl.org),
• Louisiana School Employees Retirement System (www.lsers.net), among others