Polk County Veterans Service Office

03/11/2026

The Polk County Veteran Service Office can provide urgent financial assistance for Rent, Mortgage, Utilities, etc. Please call 936-327-6838 for more details.

This program is supported by a grant from the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans' Assistance. The Fund for Veterans' Assistance provides grants to organizations serving Veterans and their families. For more information, visit www.TVC.Texas.gov .

11/06/2025

12/06/2024

I will be out of the office on an extended vacation from 9 Dec thru 6 Jan due to the birth of my first grandbaby. I will be back in the office on Tuesday, 7 Jan. If you need any claims assistances, please see the attached TVC flyer to schedule a phone or in-office appointment. If you have a VA Healthcare issue, please contact your primary care provider for assistance. For new healthcare enrollments you can go to VA.gov to enroll online or call your nearest VA facility in Lufkin at 936-671-4300 or Conroe at 936-522-4000.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and I'll look forward to assisting you again in the new year!

Melissa Gates
Polk County Veteran Service Officer

09/20/2024

Please see the attached information about a free Microsoft Office Basics Program offered by The Next Step, Inc. Made possible by the Funds for Veterans Assistance Grant from Texas Veterans Commission.

07/07/2024

POLK COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
JULY 7, 2024 3 P.M.

TROPICAL STORM BERYL

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for Polk County.

A Flood Watch for Polk County is in effect from late tonight through Tuesday morning.

Polk County Emergency Management is closely monitoring the track of Tropical Storm Beryl. The current track of Beryl shifted slightly east and continues to strengthen. Beryl is forecast to make landfall as a Category 1 hurricane, or possibly a low-end category 2 hurricane, around 3 a.m. near Matagorda Bay. Impacts in our area will begin later this evening with bands of heavy rainfall. Rainfall will continue through Monday and into early Tuesday morning. NWS forecasts 4-6” of rain and some tropical storm-force winds for our area.

The National Weather Service has communicated to Emergency Management that stronger impacts from Beryl for Polk County will likely occur as early as 7 a.m. tomorrow morning and continue through early afternoon with sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph and 45 mph wind gusts.

Heavy rainfall, flooding, flash flooding, strong gusty winds, and tornadic activity is possible. Residual rain bands occurring late tomorrow afternoon are also possible.

Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy issued a Local Declaration of Disaster for Tropical Storm Beryl yesterday evening.

NWS states that, by late tomorrow afternoon, the storm should have moved on to the ArkLaTex region; however, shifts in the track remain possible and forecasts may change. Please remain weather aware and prepared for impacts from this storm.

Please look for further updates on the Polk County Emergency Management page
(www.facebook.com/PolkCountyEmergencyManagement) and the Polk County Emergency Management website www.PolkCountyOEM.com.

06/10/2024

Attn: Veterans impacted by the recent flooding. Please contact the Veteran Service Office at 936-327-6838 for assistance connecting with Veteran specific resources.

Send a message to learn more

01/09/2023

09/12/2022

Remembering September 11, 2001

We will never forget.

03/26/2022

Polk County Recovers has a grant available for Veterans impacted by a disaster. There is also a FORTIFIED Roof Program grant. Applications will be accepted through April 15th. Call Melissa Gates at 936-327-6838 or 936-933-2735 for more details.

09/07/2021

To our Polk County Veterans who are interested in volunteering in their community, I am making a list of anyone interested in joining our "Boots on the Ground" response team. As some of you may already know, I am Melissa Gates, the Polk County Veteran Service Officer, but I am also the Polk County Recovery Liaison for our newly formed Polk County Recovers Long Term Recovery Organization. Please message this page or call 936-933-2735 or my office at 936-327-6838 for more details about volunteering.