Codington County Veterans Office Secures $917,383 in VA Back Pay

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Codington County Veterans Service Office has assisted area veterans in securing $917,383 in year-to-date retroactive benefit payments through October, Veteran Service Officer Jay Roberts told the Codington County Board of Commissioners during his monthly report Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026.

Roberts reported that for the month of October alone, retroactive payments totaled $234,382, while monthly claim benefit increases reached $16,295. Year to date, monthly benefit increases for local veterans total $156,585.

In Codington County, the office recorded 131 open claims and 60 claims pending action from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in October, with 242 claims completed so far for the year. The office is also handling 15 open claims and six pending actions in Hamlin County, where 36 claims have been completed year to date. Additionally, the office is assisting eight veterans residing outside the two counties, with 18 out-of-county claims completed for the year.

VA Claim Processing Times and Survivor Benefits

When asked by commissioners why retroactive payment totals remain so high, Roberts explained that the large lump sums are the result of the length of time the VA takes to reach determinations on veteran claims.

"Retro payments are due to the VA taking such a long time to make a determination on a veteran’s claim," Roberts said. "Over the last three years, our retro payments have reached a million or more by the end of December. I'm not sure that we'll reach that this year. And there's a variety of reasons for that, but many of our veterans, unfortunately, are passing away."

Despite lengthy waits on standard disability determinations, Roberts highlighted a major improvement by the VA in processing Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) claims for surviving spouses.

"They've actually done very well for surviving spouses of veterans who have an opportunity to file for dependency indemnity compensation or DIC," Roberts told the board. "They've reduced their processing time from like six to eight months in processing that one claim to two days. You put the claim in and within two days they've got it resolved. So that's huge."

Insurance Guidance and DAV Transportation Update

Roberts noted an uptick in October and early November of veterans and surviving spouses visiting the office with questions regarding health insurance and Medicare Part B supplements. While staff cannot act as insurance agents, Roberts said the office informs visitors of their existing VA or CHAMPVA coverage so they can take that information to a licensed insurance agent.

Regarding Disabled American Veterans (DAV) vehicle transportation, the office completed one veteran transport in October and currently has zero rides scheduled for November. The program has three active volunteer drivers, one pending application, and one additional interested volunteer, though Roberts noted demand for rides has declined.

Upcoming Codington County Veterans Events and Schedule Changes

Roberts and Deputy Veteran Service Officer Eric Lewis outlined several upcoming outreach events, classes, and office notices for area veterans and their families:

·         Military Appreciation Family Camp at Joy Ranch (Nov. 7–8, 2026): Joy Ranch is hosting a military appreciation event and family campout this weekend, with approximately 35 families registered to attend.

·         National Guard Armory Retiree Briefing (Nov. 7, 2026): Roberts and Lewis will visit the Watertown National Guard Armory to brief upcoming military retirees on VA benefits eligibility.

·         Watertown Veterans Day Program (Nov. 11, 2026): The annual Veterans Day ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the Watertown Civic Arena, featuring guest speaker Jerry Denman. Codington County offices will also be closed Wednesday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day.

·         Veterans Fly-Tying Class (Nov. 11, 2026): South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) will host a fly-tying lure class for veterans at 6 p.m. at its Pelican Lake facility. Veterans interested in registering should call Cassie Behnke at 320-287-1698.

·         Temporary Office Closure for Mandatory Training (Dec. 3, 2026): The Codington County Veterans Service Office will be closed until 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3, so staff can attend mandatory online training conducted by the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs. The office will reopen at 2 p.m.

·         Toys for Tots Collection and Distribution (Dec. 11, 14–15, 2026): A Toys for Tots donation box is currently available in the Veterans Service Office waiting area until pickup on Dec. 11. Toy distribution for families will take place Dec. 14 and Dec. 15 in the back room of the Watertown VFW.

Veterans Rod-Building Class (Jan. 16, 2027): GFP will host a custom fishing rod-building class for veterans on Jan. 16, guiding participants through assembling a fishing rod from a blank.