Meade County Veterans Service

10/16/2025

Veterans and Veteran Families - Mark your calendar and visit the Northern Hills Veteran Appreciation Fair 2025 on November 8th!

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

11/01/2024

Just a reminder of this event on Saturday November 9, 2024!

03/12/2024

SDDVA Secretary Whitlock’s March Column – Largest Expansion for Veterans Healthcare

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced that all veterans who were exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving in the military, at home or abroad, will be eligible to enroll directly in VA healthcare beginning March 5, 2024.

This expansion of VA healthcare eliminates the phased-in approach called for by the PACT Act. This means that veterans can become eligible for VA healthcare up to eight years earlier than written into law.

A major part of the expansion is that veterans who never deployed but were exposed to toxins or hazards while training or on active duty in the United States are eligible to enroll in VA healthcare.

Many veterans believe they must receive VA disability benefits to be eligible for VA healthcare, but with this expansion millions of eligible veterans can enroll directly in VA care without the need to first apply for other VA benefits.

We encourage all veterans to contact a state, county, or tribal veterans service officer to discuss these changes to get assistance.

Can veterans file directly online? Yes.

Do we recommend they take that path? No – why go it alone when there are experts that can assist you? State, county, and tribal veterans service officers are trained to navigate a bureaucracy that is complex and ever-changing. They are here to help with all your earned benefits!

I encourage all veterans and their families to work with a state, county, or tribal veterans service officer. Please visit our website to assist in locating the VSO nearest you: https://vetaffairs.sd.gov/veteransserviceofficers/locatevso.aspx or call (605) 773.3269 to locate the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs location nearest you.

As a veteran, you served your country honorably, and your state, county, and tribal veterans service officers want to say thank you by ensuring you obtain all the benefits to which you and your family members are entitled.

Greg Whitlock, Secretary
South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs

11/30/2023

Annual Sturgis Tree Lighting Ceremony
Thursday, November 30th 2023 | 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

The Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thursday is a special opportunity to gather as a community and enjoy family, friends, and the holiday spirit. Organizations set up booths around Harley-Davidson Rally Point at the corner of Main Street and Harley-Davidson Way (2nd Street) with free candy canes, hot cocoa, cider, popcorn, and even roasted chestnuts! The Loud American also offers their famous hot toddies for sale to adults during the festivities. The Mayor traditionally invites children on stage to read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, and counts down to the official tree lighting.

10/30/2023

Museum will be open Saturday Nov 11 from 10am to 3pm. Honoring our Veterans! Free Admission.

10/26/2023

You're invited!

COMPACT Act Community Awareness Event

10/26/2023

Veterans, See What’s Brewing!

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs will be hosting a “Coffee and Conversation” program in Spearfish. This program is in partnership with Lawrence County Veterans Service Officer Jesse Ketzer and Black Hills State University Director of Military and Veterans Services Gregory Krajewski. The department welcomes the opportunity to visit one-on-one with veterans and see what’s brewing!
The “What’s Brewing” program will be held Friday, November 3, at the Joy Center on the campus of Black Hills State University (1351 St. Joseph Street) in Spearfish at 1:00 pm MT.
“’What’s Brewing’ is a great opportunity for us to visit with veterans and hear about the challenges they might be experiencing first-hand. These programs also allow us the opportunity to speak with them about new benefits and services,” said SDDVA Secretary Greg Whitlock. “As the advocates for South Dakota veterans, we need to hear about the things our veterans are facing. We walk among veterans every day, and yet we may not even realize the magnitude of their sacrifices to serve our country.”
The SDDVA team and CVSO Ketzer will address questions about veteran’s benefits including compensation, education, pension, healthcare, burial, state veterans cemetery, and state veterans home. They will also be prepared to brief veterans on the PACT Act.
We encourage veterans to join us if they can. As always, they can reach our SDDVA team at 605.333.6869, or they can locate their county or tribal veterans service officer by visiting https://vetaffairs.sd.gov/veteransserviceofficers/locatevso.aspx.

10/19/2023

On November 4, we will be joining other Veteran organizations at the Northern Hills "We've Got Your Six" Veterans Appreciation Fair in Sturgis, SD! If you’re interested in learning more about Midwest Honor Flight, stop by our table! Learn more about all the organizations attending at the link below:

https://wevegotyoursix.weebly.com/

10/10/2023

LETS WELCOME OUR NEW VETERAN SERVICE OFFICER & EMERGENCY MANAGER, SEAN HENDERSON!!