Veterans’ Service office will close, need will remain

Weeks before the city of Poulsbo makes its move to its new, spacious accommodations to the Moe and Third location, the Veterans Service Office will close its doors.

The office, currently housed in the basement of City Hall — a building partially owned by Kitsap County — can’t find a suitable space in the new City Hall. Or anywhere else, for that matter. On Oct. 14, the office, which has served more than 1,000 military members and their families, will close.

Though the office itself is closing, the need for its services will not vanish. Veterans will still need help navigating the confusing web of Veterans’ Administration paperwork to receive the medical and financial benefits that lured them into service.

It’s quite unfortunate that, in a community in which service members move to out of obligation and stay by choice, they will be left without the resources of the veterans’ service office.

With so many empty storefronts in downtown Poulsbo and throughout the North End, it would stand to reason that someone, somewhere, would be willing to pull in the rent money the veterans’ service office allows, rather than let their space sit vacant. If for no other reason, someone should step up just to honor the veterans and the time they’ve devoted to keep our country free.

Regardless of whether they volunteered or were volun-told, they’ve earned the rights afforded to them.

They’ve served us, now it’s our turn.

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