马萨诸塞州退伍军人服务新办公室在斯普林菲尔德启用：服务该州西部四县约4.2万名退伍军人
美国马萨诸塞州斯普林菲尔德市——一座新的州退伍军人服务行政办公室（EOVS）区域办公室11月2日在该州西部城市斯普林菲尔德正式启用，为汉普登、伯克希尔、汉普希尔与富兰克林四县的退伍军人与军人家庭就近提供州级福利、项目与服务。退伍军人服务厅长埃里克·戈拉尔尼克与州和地方官员、退伍军人及社区组织代表共同出席启用活动。
马萨诸塞州约有27.4万名退伍军人，其中约4.2万人生活在该州西部。新办公室将提供福利申办、住房资源、心理健康支持等面对面协助，并加强与服务退伍军人家庭的地方组织的合作。办公点还将举办外展与教育活动，汇集地方、州与联邦层面的合作伙伴共同服务该地区。
州长莫拉·希利表示：「我们这届政府致力于让马萨诸塞州成为全美对退伍军人与军人家庭最好的州，这意味着要把服务送到本州每一个角落的人身边。」她指出，该州西部的4万多名退伍军人今后能更方便地获得他们挣得的福利与支持。副州长金·德里斯科尔表示，新办公室能让包括小城镇与乡村社区在内的退伍军人就近对接服务，不必长途奔波。
戈拉尔尼克表示「在退伍军人生活的地方与他们见面」是该厅使命的核心，在斯普林菲尔德设立常设实体办公点，能让团队与西部退伍军人社区面对面接触。老龄与独立事务厅长罗宾·利普森指出，对老年人与退伍军人而言，就近可及、值得信赖的面对面资源，在申办福利、对接服务方面能带来实实在在的差别。
新办公室将驻有办理HEROS、SAVE、SERVE等州级项目的工作人员，并协助办理州年度年金与经该厅全国服务官团队处理的联邦退伍军人事务部索赔。仅2026财年，经该厅代理的索赔人获得的联邦退伍军人福利约5.542亿美元，占全州年度联邦退伍军人福利总额21.7亿美元的可观份额。
背景方面：希利2023年将退伍军人服务厅升格为内阁级厅局；2024年签署《HERO法》——该州历史上最全面的退伍军人福利扩展法案，含30多项条款；今夏该州向符合条件的退伍军人与军人家庭发放了创纪录的5840万美元年度年金；位于霍利奥克的退伍军人之家新建大楼亦于近期启用。斯普林菲尔德市长多梅尼克·萨尔诺及多位州议员、退伍军人组织负责人对新办公室启用表示欢迎。（来源：马萨诸塞州州长办公室）
New Massachusetts Veterans Services Office Opens in Springfield: Serving Some 42,000 Veterans Across Four Western Counties
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The Healey-Driscoll administration on November 2 celebrated the opening of a new Executive Office of Veterans Services (EOVS) regional office in Springfield, expanding access to state benefits, programs and services for veterans and military families across Western Massachusetts. Veterans Services Secretary Eric Goralnick joined state and local officials, veterans and community organizations to mark the opening of the office, which will serve Hampden, Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin counties.
Massachusetts is home to approximately 274,000 veterans, including an estimated 42,000 in Western Massachusetts. The new Springfield office will provide in-person assistance with veterans benefits, housing resources, mental health support and other services, while strengthening partnerships with local organizations that serve veterans and their families. It will also host outreach and educational events and bring together local, state and federal partners to serve the region.
"Our administration is committed to making Massachusetts the best state in the nation for veterans and military families, and that means making sure we're reaching veterans in every corner of the state," Governor Maura Healey said, citing more than 40,000 veterans in Western Massachusetts. Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll said the office will make it easier for veterans across the region, including those in smaller and rural communities, to connect with services without traveling far.
"Meeting veterans where they are is central to our mission," Goralnick said, noting that a permanent physical presence in Springfield puts his team face to face with the Western Massachusetts veteran community, including rural towns. Aging and Independence Secretary Robin Lipson said trusted, in-person resources close to home can make a meaningful difference for older adults and veterans navigating benefits and services.
The office will host staff administering the state's HEROS, SAVE and SERVE programs, the annual state annuity, and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs claims processed through EOVS' National Service Officer team. In fiscal 2026 alone, EOVS-represented claimants accounted for approximately $554.2 million of the $2.17 billion in annual VA benefits provided in Massachusetts.
The opening builds on a series of steps: Healey established EOVS as a Cabinet-level secretariat in 2023; in 2024 she signed the HERO Act, the most comprehensive expansion of veterans benefits in state history, with more than 30 provisions; this summer the state delivered a record $58.4 million in annual veteran annuity payments; and the Veterans Home at Holyoke recently opened its new building. Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, state lawmakers and veterans organization leaders welcomed the new office. (Source: Office of the Governor of Massachusetts)
来源：马萨诸塞州州长办公室
发布：GSM·美国（发布链接）
图片来源：图片来源：Wikimedia Commons「Springfield, Massachusetts skyline（斯普林菲尔德天际线）」（Quintin Soloviev 摄，CC BY 4.0） Image: Wikimedia Commons "Springfield, Massachusetts skyline（斯普林菲尔德天际线）" (by Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0)
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