About Us
Bremer County Veterans Affairs provides information and assistance to our Bremer County veterans in applying for federal, state, and local VA benefits. Additionally, we coordinate emergency assistance with other community partners based on need. Our services are funded by Bremer County, as well as allocation funding from the state. This means there is no cost to veterans and their families. We do accept donations for other needs not already covered by our office or in the community. Two examples of our donation-funded-services are: the VA Transportation Van, and food/gas cards for emergency financial assistance.
There have been changes made to code due to HF 259, which was signed by Governor Kim Reynolds on April 18, 2024. Note that the linked PDFs will not show these changes until the state makes those updates. Please feel free to contact our office with any questions regarding these changes and general questions about Iowa Code related to veterans.
Iowa Code Chapter 35 – Veterans Affairs
The state department of veterans affairs shall recognize the executive director or administrator as a county veterans service officer of a veterans’ service organization recognized pursuant to 38 C.F.R. §14.628(c) for the purposes of assisting veterans and their dependents in obtaining federal and state benefits. The commission shall recommend the compensation of the executive director or administrator and all employees of the county veteran affairs office to the board of supervisors. The board of supervisors shall consider the recommendation and shall determine and approve the compensation of the executive director or administrator and all employees of the county veteran affairs office. The executive director must possess the same qualifications as provided in section 35B.3 for commission members.
Iowa HF 259
Sec. 9. Section 35B.6, subsection 1, paragraph c. Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
c, (1) Upon the employment of an executive director or administrator, the executive director or administrator shall complete a course for the purpose of obtaining certification federally required for the person’s position and a personal identification verification card necessary to access the veterans benefits management system. If an executive director or administrator fails to obtain certification or a personal dentification verification card within one year of being employed, the executive director or administrator shall be removed from office. Upon a request from a county commission of veteran affairs and based on extenuating circumstances, the commandant of the Iowa department of veterans affairs may extend the time frame for an executive director or administrator to obtain a personal identification verification card.
(2) An executive director or administrator shall satisfy the continuing education requirements established by the national association of county veterans service officers and the United States department of veterans affairs. Failure of an executive director or administrator to maintain certification shall be cause for removal from office. The expenses of training the executive director or administrator shall be paid from the appropriation authorized in section 35B.14.
(3) An executive director or administrator shall satisfy the continuing education requirements necessary to maintain an active personal identification verification card and access to the veterans benefits management system. Failure of an executive director or administrator to maintain certification and access to the veterans benefits management system shall be cause for removal from office.
Sec. 11. REPEAL. Sections 35A.17 and 35B.17, Code 2024, are repealed.
Sec. 12. TRANSITION. A person employed in the position of a county veteran service officer on the effective date of this Act must obtain a personal identification verification card under section 35A.5, subsection 9, as amended by this Act, within one year of the effective date of this Act or be removed from office.
Staff
Director/CVSO
Daniel Bonzer, MSW
dbonzer@co.bremer.ia.us
(319) 352-4209
Assistant Director/CVSO and Transportation Coordinator
Kailey Heidemann, BSW
kheidemann@co.bremer.ia.us
(319) 352-4209
Please call (319) 596-5800 to schedule a van ride.
*E-mail is NOT secured until it is encrypted at our end. Please DO NOT include private information in your email.*
Bremer county commission of veterans affairs
Chairperson: Master Sergent, USAR, JP Sager – Denver – johnsager234@gmail.com
Secretary: Chief Petty Officer (Re.), USN, Rich Miller – Waverly – chiefao51@aol.com
Commissioner: Jim O’Donnell – Waverly – jlodonnell1969@gmail.com