By Anna-Rhesa Versola | Photography By John Michael Simpson
Michael Daniels traveled the world during his 21 years of military service as a platoon sergeant. After retiring from the Army, he worked as a web developer at a sports marketing company in Virginia, as a supervisor at Siemens in Wendell and then in human resources at the Veterans Health Administration in Durham. Michael, who grew up outside of Charlotte, has a bachelor’s degree in business from North Carolina Wesleyan University and an MBA from Capella University. He and his wife, Ellen Daniels, moved to Chatham in 2017. Their adult son, Marcel Daniels, also lives in Pittsboro.
What is your role in county government?
I’m the Chatham County veterans services officer and have been in this position about 16 months. The position serves veterans, spouses and dependents. We serve all branches of the military, including the commissioned officers of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Office of the Surgeon General.
How many veterans are in the county?
Chatham has about 4,470 veterans. Only 18% of those are actually receiving benefits; it was 11% in 2020.
What do you love about what you do?
I love the fact that I help veterans and their dependents demystify what they consider a complex and cumbersome system of rules and laws, which is [the] VA. I love it when veterans and/or their dependents leave a meeting with me and inform me how much better they understand how the system works and their place within the process.
What are some of the veterans services in Chatham?
We offer an array of services from federal to state services for veterans. There are three pillars – the Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration, and then you have the National Cemetery Administration. … North Carolina has a couple of [additional] benefits for veterans, such as veterans license plates, a $45,000 [homestead] tax exemption for [100% disabled] veterans, as well as a hunting and fishing license [discount] for veterans [who] are 50% disabled or more. Lastly, we have the North Carolina Division of Military and Veterans Affairs scholarships for dependents [of wartime veterans].
What impact have you had on the community in this job?
One of the most visible veteran issues is homelessness. [A] veteran may not be completely homeless, but is at risk of experiencing some level of homelessness. There are veterans who may struggle to pay their rent or mortgage. I have been the bridge between those veterans and NCServes and/or Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing to get those veterans assistance. Health care to include medication is expensive, and getting veterans enrolled in the VHA helps reduce costs of medical services and prescriptions.
Successful enrollment in VHA not only impacts health but also has a tremendous impact on veterans’ financial health. According to VA, Chatham County has increased participation in veterans benefit services over the past few years. Hearing loss is common, in particular [among] veterans who have served in combat. Hearing devices are expensive and out of reach for some veterans. I have been able to get those veterans into VA Audiology for hearing devices. I have also provided CapTel phones to other hearing-impaired veterans.
Our office is a major participant in a program managed by the Chatham County Council on Aging – Helping Homebound Heroes – where I identify veterans who would benefit from the program and assist them in completing their application. This program assists our more vulnerable veterans in staying in their homes by renovating areas within their homes so they can maneuver into the shower or use a ramp to enter their home. Our office has been a tremendous asset to surviving spouses in helping them navigate a system that is foreign to them and in some cases helping those who qualify to receive their benefits.
Do you think that the visibility of the veterans office will change at all?
I do think it will change as the county grows. Need is the mother of invention. So the need is going to be there. Right now, I’m a part-time employee. I work Tuesdays, Wednesdays and half-day Thursdays.
