SALT LAKE CITY — For the first time in weeks, veterans in Utah are getting in-person help with navigating their benefits again — just not where they usually would.
When the federal government shutdown began on Oct. 1, the offices of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) in Salt Lake City were suddenly told they must close. That meant no face-to-face services for veterans, widows, or dependents who rely on in-person guidance to manage benefits and claims.
“We got removed from the building by the VA, and we don’t know a time we’ll be back,” said Collin Cooper, a supervisor of the DAV Salt Lake City office. “This is the first time we’ve been able to get in person since the shutdown started.”
Now, thanks to a new outreach effort, those services are temporarily being offered inside Room 105 at the Utah State Capitol. Veterans can walk in on Mondays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. for help with paperwork, letters, or benefit questions. Cooper says the remote option they've been trying to provide just doesn't work for everyone.
“Technology doesn’t always come easy to everyone. That face-to-face for them — that’s their method of communication," he said.
Many veterans have been anxious about how long they can go without clarity on payments or claims, with their number one question lately being about their checks.
“'Am I going to lose my benefits?'” Cooper said the veterans wonder. “Unfortunately, a lot of us rely on those disability payments to cover things like mortgages, rent, and car payments.”
There’s now some optimism that the shutdown could soon end. A new Senate deal could restore funding and allow DAV staff to return to their regular offices next to the VA hospital, possibly within the next week. Still, Cooper admits, “At the same time, we have no idea.”
Visitors at the Capitol on Monday shared similar frustration and hope.
“It’s a good thing,” said Robert Sanchez, a retired service member visiting from Alabama. “The government needs to be open to help Americans.”
His wife, Sara Sanchez, added, “It’s time to work together as a nation, not by party.”
Jonathon Davis of Draper agreed.
“I’m thrilled. It’s overdue. The government needs to work — I want Republicans and Democrats to sort it out. Ridiculous to shut down," he said.
And Gary Harmon, visiting from Ohio, summed up the mood of many: "It’s about time. It’s a shame that it shut down in the first place. There’s got to be a better way to settle the differences.”
