We work collaboratively with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, and Nationally chartered Veterans Service Organizations. We promote the interests and welfare of U.S. Armed Forces Veterans, their family members and survivors. We strive to enhance the quality of our clients lives through advocacy, counseling, claims assistance, and special programs.
Each member of the MACVSO is a Veteran too. We pledge to fulfill President Abraham Lincoln’s promise: “To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan” by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s Veterans.
The MACVSO has subdivided the 87 MN County Officers into 9 regional groupings called districts. Each district comprises of a representative to the MACVSO Executive Board to advise on regional issues.
The MACVSO partners with the MN Commanders Task Force and the MN United Legislative Council to promote legislative issues that will benefit Minnesota’s Veterans, their dependents, and survivors.
The MACVSO Executive Board meets throughout the year to continually improve programs and services for Minnesota’s Veterans, their dependents, and survivors. The Association holds their annual meeting in the fall of the year where all 87 counties gather to discuss issues of the Association and receive formal Continuing Education Training Units to maintain our accreditation with the U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs, and be certified by the MN Dept of Veterans Affairs.
Current Officers:
- President: Josh Beninga, Lac Qui Parle County, US Army
- Vice President: Kurtis Ellefson, Polk and Red Lake County, US Army
- Treasurer: Heidi Fier, Lyon County, US Air Force
- Judge Advocate: Tom Anderson, Winona County, US Army
- Chaplain: Nathan Pike, Carver County, US Army
- Historian: Renae Schuch, Pipestone County, US Navy
- Secretary: Erica Bliss, Kanabec County, US Army
- Executive Director: John Baker, USMC
Through a strong alliance with our national partners at NACVSO, the US Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs the MACVSO is a national leader in the advocacy for Veterans and provides subject matter expertise to State and Federal legislative officials.
MACVSO Strategic Plan - 2020 and Beyond. MACVSO's vision for what the organization is, what we do and where we're headed.
Goals and Objectives. These are based on our Strategic Plan
Minnesota Statute 197.601 defines the requirements to be Appointed as a County Veterans Service Officer:
- Resident of Minnesota
- Citizen of United States
- Veteran as defined by MN Statute 197.447
In addition, a person accepting appointment to the position of County Veterans Service Officer or Assistant County Veterans Service Officer or other equivalent assistant position must agree to receive, within six months of the appointment, training and education for the duties of the position, including development of an effective working knowledge of relevant laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, as applicable to veterans cases before the department and the administration of those cases.
Minnesota Statute 197.60 decrees that CVSOs and ACVSOs are appointed (by County Board of Commissioners) to four (4) year terms, and before entering upon duties, shall take and subscribe the oath required of public officials.
Minnesota Statute 197.606 defines that each CVSO is under the exclusive jurisdiction and control of those counties. Additionally, each county is responsible for establishing a CVSOs compensation plan, and any county-specific requirements for the CVSOs that they employ.
Minnesota Statute 197.603 defines the duties of a CVSO as:
It shall be the duty of the county veterans service officer to aid all residents of the governmental subdivision by which the officer is employed in securing benefits provided by law on account of the service of any person in the armed forces of the United States, from which the person has a discharge other than dishonorable. The county veterans service officer shall aid all veterans who are residents of the governmental subdivision by which the officer is employed, regardless of the nature of discharge, in securing counseling or treatment concerning alcohol and drug dependency and abuse.
Minnesota Statute 197.604 defines that: It shall be unlawful for any person to pay any County Veterans Service Officer or any employee under the Officer or for any County Veterans Service Officer or employee under the officer to receive any fee directly or indirectly for any service rendered in securing any benefit referred to in section 197.603.
Note: Although not directly affecting members of the MACVSO, authors of this webpage felt a new 2017 MN law about the mandatory requirement that any person who provide assistance with the application for Veterans benefits in exchange for compensation (payment for services) should be placed here.
The mandatory disclosure is to inform the applicant that these services are provided free of charge by your County Veterans Service Officer. Find out more here.