U.S. Army veteran Austin Ramey joined the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps while attending Spring Arbor University. After graduating, he was commissioned by the U.S. Army as a field artillery officer before spending seven years in the service.
“I got out of the military in 2023 and was just looking for jobs that were aimed at helping people.”
Now a fully accredited veteran service officer, the Michigan Veteran Affairs Agency has assigned Ramey to Kent County.
“It seemed like a natural fit. I was like, ‘Oh, I’m a veteran and I’m generally familiar with the process and it would give me an opportunity to meet with fellow veterans and their families to try to help them.’”
Ramey helps veterans, transitioning service members and their dependents navigate federal, state, and local benefits. He hopes to help as many Kent County veterans as possible in his new role.
“The VA is a big federal program, and there are a lot of things that can be applied to that and so having someone who can help people navigate that is really helpful, even if it’s just saying, ‘Hey, this is the appropriate person to talk to.’”
You can learn more online at Michigan.gov/VSO
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