Lovell resident appointed to Veterans Commission
Retired combat veteran and Lovell resident Nicolle Laffin was appointed to the Wyoming Veteran Commission this summer.
She is a commissioner for the 5th Judicial District, which serves Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park and Washakie counties. Laffin said she applied for the role and was nominated by the governor. Her term will last three years. Each state has it’s own individual veterans commission.
Laffin said she is not nervous for the work ahead, but rather excited and feels well supported already.
“I’m very excited. I’ve just had a great six months so far. I’m on a couple of little committees taking a look at some of the things, and the commission has welcomed me with wide open arms,” she said. “They’ve been very helpful. Anytime I’ve had a question or gotten stuck in something, I’ve called, and I’ve gotten a great response on everything.”
The role of the commission is to develop, enhance and enrich programs that are there to serve and aid veterans and their families, Laffin said. These programs can range from the veterans property tax exemption to arranging transportation for veterans to their medical appointments through Veterans Affairs, she said.
Laffin said the group is very important for veterans in Wyoming when navigating civilian life.
“There are so many services and resources that are available to veterans. But a lot of times, they don’t know what they are or where they are or how to contact people,” she said. “Big government organizations can be so big and vast that it can be a difficult task to hunt down information.”
The commission has put together a booklet that makes it easier for veterans to find information, she said. Additionally, the group serves as a liaison to other veteran’s service organizations like the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Disabled American Veterans (DAV).
When a veteran leaves the service or retires, they can contact their service officer for resources, Laffin said. The service officer can be through the commission or other programs like the VFW or DAV. Service officers are veterans who are skilled in helping veterans navigate post military life and can provide many resources.
Service officers are for navigating most veterans’ issues, Laffin said.
“Your first line is your service officer. If there are some problems or if it’s an unusual situation that doesn’t go into the service officer’s area of expertise, then you can contact a commissioner,” she said. “Then we can take a look at the issue and try to direct you to the right thing.”
Service officers should be available during normal business hours, Laffin said. If the officer does not immediately respond to your call, they should reply later that day or the next business day, she said.
After an initial appointment, a service officer will make an appointment with the veteran and help direct them toward benefits or other needs. Service officers are very knowledgeable and can handle most veterans’ personal issues, Laffin said.
One area that commissioners in particular can affect is legislation or development of programs for veterans, she said.
“We also try to affect resources and services that are available and legislation, for example, the veterans property tax exemption,” she said. “So, if you had an idea that a veteran needed a resource, or a program developed or something like that, we definitely would be interested in hearing about your idea.”
Laffin said she has had a very enjoyable experience hearing veterans’ stories and contacting them. Next spring, she is working with the commission and the American Legion to bring a veterans resource fair to the Big Horn County Fairgrounds. The fair will feature several groups specializing in veterans resources, employees of the VA, a group that provides service dogs and other resources.
Laffin said she is there to help veterans who have any questions at all.
“I think sometimes veterans, especially in rural communities, they kind of end up getting cut off and feel like there isn’t anything or anybody there for them. And that is not the case. If they’re unsure, please contact us, we are here,” she said.
Veterans in need of non-emergency care should contact their local service officer, go to the contact us page on the Wyoming American Legion or Wyoming Veterans Commission website, Laffin said.
Veterans who are in need of emergency care, who are thinking about harming themselves or others, should call 988, she said. Veterans who are in crisis or who are having thoughts of suicide should not hesitate to contact 988, Laffin said.