Escambia County Hires New Veterans Services Officer

October 4, 2015

Escambia County has hired Marvin Merillat as veterans services officer.

In his new position, Merillat will be responsible for interviewing and counseling veterans and their dependents, and processing claims based upon military service involving compensation, pension, hospitalization, insurance, educational assistance and other related entitlements. His first day on the job will be Monday.

Merillat served more than 25 years in the Army, earning an honorable discharge in 2013. During his enlistment Merillat earned six Army Commendation Medals, as well as numerous service and volunteer medals.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Excelsior College and a master’s degree from America Public University. Before moving to the area, Merillat was a veterans service representative at the Department of Veteran’s Affairs in Decatur, GA.

The screening committee for this position was comprised of Escambia County Administrator Jack Brown, Facilities Director David Wheeler, Aide to Congressman Jeff Miller Sheilah Bowman, retired Navy Vice Adm. Jerry Unruh and Department Service Officer for Al Gray DAV Chapter #23 Todd Godwin.

Comments

5 Responses to “Escambia County Hires New Veterans Services Officer”

  1. bartender on October 5th, 2015 9:19 am

    you are right m in bratt,why is escambia county doing that? what is the hr dept for and what are they gona do anyway? we not only have regular people with no jobs so how they gona get vetrans jobs? the county is not getting jobs in here like ala is.so another high paying county job and another office space to be taken up.they need to get rid of the high salaries that are riding around in county cars and trucks that should be retired now. why arent the hiring someone to get jobs in here because the commisioners are not. hr dept is a joke for the county.they dont even help the employees must less get jobs in here.

  2. No Excuses on October 4th, 2015 9:05 pm

    @M in Bratt: We have a large number of veterans, both able and disabled returning from war or areas of conflict that are in need of help and reintegration to society. Many of these folks, but for someone like Mr. Merillat, would be left to dangle and ultimately, some of them get into trouble and become problems in other ways. We owe it to them to help them return to normalacy as much and as quickly as possible. Pay now, or pay later, but if we pay now and have a functioning member of society, then I say pay now.

  3. Tom on October 4th, 2015 6:40 pm

    M, you are right. When I read this snipit, I kept saying to myself, this is exactly what the VA does (although not very well). Why would the county get involved here?

  4. Warrior on October 4th, 2015 2:20 pm

    Congrats Marvin !!!!! Taking care of our Vets is priority #1…..

  5. M in Bratt on October 4th, 2015 7:55 am

    Dear County Commission; Are the duties of this job a duplication of responsibilities already being handled by other agency’s? Can the taxpayers of this county afford to add another dept.? Yes, Department with all it’s associated support staff, and demand for office space. These Taxicrats on our County Commission need to be looking at ways of cutting staff and expenses rather than adding to them.