July 9, 2020

MBVS Updates Office Protocols for COVID-19

AUGUSTA, Maine (July 9, 2020) - In an effort to continue to slow the spread of COVID-19, the Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services (MBVS) will continue to serve the public by phone appointment, the use of video appointments and a video intercom system with secure drop boxes for customers that wish to deliver documents in person.

MBVS has six field offices across the state located in Caribou, Machias, Bangor, Lewiston, Portland, Springvale, an office at the VA Maine Healthcare System at Togus, and a central office in Augusta located at Camp Keyes. All offices are currently staffed and open to assist veterans by phone appointment, or Skype appointment.

Any veteran wishing to speak with a Veteran Service Officer at this time should complete the following form and return it back to MBVS. Forms can be emailed to mainebvs@maine.gov or mailed to the office on the back of the form. Forms can be found on the homepage of our website, www.maine.gov/veterans.

"The Maine Bureau of Veterans Services has continued to provide needed services to Maine veterans over the past few months," stated David Richmond, Director of the Maine Bureau of Veterans Services. We understand the importance and significance of veterans meeting with our Veteran Service Officers to discuss their individual circumstances; however, we must also take into consideration the health and well-being of those veterans we represent. Our Bureau offices are staffed during normal hours but we will continue to make every effort to meet the needs of our veterans through the use of remote communication options and secure drop boxes. At the same time, the urgent services that we provide such as helping homeless veterans and conducting burials at the veterans cemeteries will continue as they have, taking all possible and necessary precautions.

MBVS employees can provide immediate assistance with: homelessness, cemetery services and burials, financial hardship, and VA claim services. All routine/non-emergent requests can be made via email or regular mail. Routine requests include: Veteran Recognition requests, State Park and Museum Pass requests, Hunting/Fishing Licenses, and DD214 requests. The answers to frequently asked questions can be found on our website, www.maine.gov/veterans/, and all of the above requests may be processed by filling out a request form online (website homepage). All documents will then be mailed to you.

Steven Lanning, Veteran Service Officer Supervisor offered the following, We take the responsibility to serve our veteran population seriously, and while we look forward to opening our offices to walk-in traffic soon, we must also protect our employees and the public from exposure during office visits.

For more information on the Maine Bureau of Veterans Services or to make an appointment with a VSO, please visit the Maine Bureau of Veterans Services website at: http://maine.gov/veterans.

About Maine Bureau of Veterans Services The Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services was established in 1947 by the State of Maine and is part of the Maine Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management. Our mission is to help Mainers who served, and their loved ones, understand and navigate the benefits, services, and programs available to them. The Bureau is headquartered at Camp Keyes and has six field service offices located throughout the state and a claims office located at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Togus, Maine. The Bureau also operates the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery System which includes four veterans cemeteries. For more information about the Bureau or to request assistance, please visit our website at www.maine.gov/veterans.