He's helped veterans file claims for service or nonservice-connected disabilities.

He's provided veterans with assistance in dealing with veteran hospitals and pharmacies. Helped widows and survivors get pensions and helped veterans obtain medals and discharge papers.

Now, after six years as the Kosciusko County veterans service officer, Tom Everett, 67, is retiring. His last day is Thursday.

"I'm retiring because I need time with my wife and family," he said Tuesday.

He started his job as the veterans officer Jan. 1, 1996. "During this six years, I feel fortunate that God has allowed me to be here to help a lot of veterans and their families."

During his tenure, he said, a majority of his time - about 65 percent - was spent dealing with veterans hospitals and helping veterans and their spouses get their needed medicines. "That's a big benefit."

Another 20 percent was spent on claims for service or nonservice-connected disabilities. "This is the most important," he said.

Helping veterans obtain their medals and discharge papers took another 10 percent of his time, he said. "You'd be amazed at how many guys don't have their discharges."

Other duties Everett said that came with the job included completing annual Veterans Administration expense reports, obtaining VA home loan guarantee certificates of eligibility, giving advice on GI Bill eligibility or remission of college fees, providing information on Indiana veterans home, vocational rehabilitation or burial benefits.

Of the veterans he worked with, he said, about 80 percent are 65 or older. "I work with a lot of older people, older veterans," he said. "I really hate giving up this job of helping veterans because I'm a veteran myself but even though I'm giving it up, I will always be helping veterans because I am chaplain of the American Legion and VFW and I have been for over 10 years."

Tuesday, the Kosciusko County commissioners approved Mike Barnett to replace Everett. Once Barnett takes over, Everett said, "You've got to know once they come in here what they have coming. The job is to take care of them."

And while the job is currently part-time, Everett said the office will need to go 40 hours eventually to get all the work done that needs to be done. Since Everett started, he said, "business picked up five times over."

One of the qualifications for the veterans service officer job is that the officer must be a veteran with an honorable discharge. Everett fit that description long before he ever took the job.

He served in the Korean War from 1952-53 as a combat infantryman machine gunner in the heavy weapons platoon, where he was wounded. He received the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star and the Combat Infantryman Badge. The Badge, he said, is a badge of honor because it means the person wearing it is someone who was in combat and came under fire. On a uniform, the CIB goes above any other medals.

"I always look for that," Everett said. "That's a badge of courage."

He also has several other medals for serving in Korea.

After his service, he graduated from Tri-State University, Angola, in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in business administration, majoring in accounting.

After college, he was an IRS agent for 1-1/2 years and then left the IRS and moved to Warsaw. He was a cost accountant for seven years for Dalton Foundries and then worked for Sun Metal for 25 years, retiring in 1995.

He married his wife Gerry on April 3, 1957. They have four children and 11 grandchildren.

A party will be held for Everett in the basement of the county courthouse Thursday from 1 to 3 p.m. The public is invited. [[In-content Ad]]