Robinson serves as liaison between veterans and Veterans Affairs
BY DONNIE SEWELL Staff Writer, The Daily Citizen ------ 03/19/1997
As with many government agencies, paperwork for Veterans Affairs can be
overwhelming, especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the many forms required for
benefits. That's where Larry Robinson of Bradford is helping.
Robinson, a former justice of the peace who served on the White County
Quorum Court for 10 years, now serves as the White County veterans service officer. He was
appointed to the job in January by Judge Bob Parish.
As veterans service officer, Robinson's main job is to serve as a
liaison between veterans and the VA; His office, located in the White County Office
Building across the hall from the prosecuting attorney's office, is often busy with
veterans coming in for help of some kind. And any time helping a veteran means getting a
better benefit from the VA, Robinson is pleased.
"Any time I can help a veteran have a stronger case to go to the
VA with, the better it is. I get real pleasure from helping someone get a better benefit
if I can," Robinson said.
Robinson's job also focuses on helping veterans receive their GI Bill
benefits, making sure a veteran is eligible for a home loan and various other projects
including setting up military funerals.
Doing such work can keep Robinson and Ima Johns, who also works in the
office, busy, especially considering the large number of veterans in White County
"There are about 6,000 veterans in the county and that doesn't
count the military retirees.That brings in $10 million plus into this county so veterans
are a big part of this county's economy. There are a lot more veterans in the county than
a lot of people think," Robinson said.
With that many veterans and that much money being brought into the
county, Robinson said veterans affairs should be a major concern for the county. He said
when Parish took office in January, he visited with the various veterans groups throughout
the county to see what their major concerns were.
One of the main things mentioned were office hours. The groups felt the
veterans service office, which was open only two days a week before, should be expanded.
Now the office is open four days a week 9a.m. to 3 p.m.. The office is
closed on Thursdays, but Robinson said he hopes to see the office hours expanded to five
days a week in the future.
"He (Parish) found that was one thing the veterans of this county
wanted and need, so he decided to expand the operation hours and hire another person. It's
worked out real well so far," Robinson said.
This is Robinson's second time to serve as the veterans service
officer. He first served in the office in 1985 and 1986 before being elected to the quorum
court in 1987.
And he isn't a stranger to the military either.
Robinson retired from the Arkansas Army National Guard in 1985 after
serving 22 years as a full-time member. He left the Guard with the rank of sergeant major,
a rank he achieved at the age of 34.
"It's never been confirmed, but some say I was the youngest person
to achieve sergeant major," Robinson said. The 22 years in the Guard allowed Robinson
to gain some experience with the paperwork before he ever thought of retiring.