Find veterans benefits and claims contacts for Pennington County, South Dakota.
South Dakota County Veterans Service Officers
State roster contact: Thomas Vallette, Robert Borries, Cody Hostetter, Chris Dieball. Call before travel to confirm the meeting place and schedule.
Area served: Pennington County.
8:00a - 5:00p Monday - Friday
For statewide phone and remote help, see the South Dakota directory.
South Dakota lists county veterans service officers and visiting schedules. Call before travel because shared officers and appointment times may change.
Call the Claim Raven 24-hour VSO prep line to get your records ready before your appointment. Claim Raven is not a VSO office. Your VSO's number is listed above.
Call (833) 387-1649The ACS estimates about 10,700, give or take 843 civilian veterans in Pennington County.
By ACS estimates, Pennington County has the 1st largest veteran population among South Dakota's 66 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Pennington County | South Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 38 percent above the South Dakota share; above the national share. | 35 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 13 percent above the South Dakota share; the same rounded estimate as the national share. | 12 percent | 13 percent |
Pennington County has about 2,380, give or take 254 veterans 75 and older, making up 22 percent of its veterans compared with 24 percent in South Dakota.
Pennington County has about 910, give or take 205 veterans under 35; both the county and South Dakota round to a 8 percent share.
Women veterans in Pennington County number about 1,240, give or take 304; their 12 percent share is above South Dakota's 10 percent.
| Measure | Pennington County | South Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $54,371 ± $5,218 | $52,917 ± $1,660 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $38,951 ± $1,144 | $41,465 ± $418 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 6.8% ± 1.9 points | 6.8% ± 0.7 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 29.7% ± 3.8 points | 29.0% ± 1.5 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 79.0% ± 4.8 points | 78.8% ± 1.8 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 4.7% ± 2.7 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 97.8% ± 1.0 points | 96.2% ± 0.5 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 32.8% ± 3.3 points | 29.4% ± 1.7 points | 31.8% ± 0.2 points |
Income is in 2024 dollars. These figures describe civilians. Poverty and disability shares use veterans whose poverty status is determined. Census disability measures daily functioning, not a VA service-connected rating. Tables and method.
VA projects fewer veterans here in 2035: about 12,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 13,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 5,242 veterans in Pennington County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 1,128 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 694 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 801 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 1,522 |
| 100 percent | 1,097 |
FY2019: 4,081 recipients. Change to FY2025: +1,161.
VA does not publish some small counts. Those show as “Not published.” VA county compensation data (opens in a new tab).
In 2025, lenders reported 544 VA-backed home loans out of 2,661 home loans made in Pennington County (20.4% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $374,000.
The 2026 FHFA one-unit county loan limit here is $832,750. This limit matters for a VA loan only when part of your entitlement is still tied to another VA loan. VA explains remaining entitlement and loan limits (opens in a new tab).
The largest reported service groups are Vietnam era only (about 3,080, give or take 407) and post-9/11 only (about 1,810, give or take 288).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $134.8 million in compensation and pension spending and about $130.6 million in medical care spending in Pennington County for FY2025.
Fort Meade VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab)
113 Comanche Road, Fort Meade, SD 57741-1002
New-patient wait for mental health: 30 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 49 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 43 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Rapid City VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
2165 Promise Road, Rapid City, SD 57701-8981
New-patient wait for mental health: 29 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 38 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 21 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Rapid City Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
21 East Omaha Street, Rapid City, SD 57701
about 20 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Cheyenne VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
2360 E. Pershing Blvd., Cheyenne, WY 82001
about 221 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
The second-nearest medical center to Pennington County is Hot Springs VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab) in Hot Springs, SD, about 51 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Pennington County is Rapid City Mobile Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Rapid City, SD, about 20 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists Sioux Falls RO (station 438); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Black Hills National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
20901 Pleasant Valley Drive Sturgis, SD 57785
605-347-3830
About 41 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Akicita Owicahe Lakota Freedom Veterans Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
202-35 BIA 2 Kyle, SD 57752
605-455-1497
About 55.1 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
State veterans cemeteries set their own eligibility rules.
National Cemetery Administration lists checked October 2, 2026. Cemetery coverage and distance method.
Military branch is not listed in the USACE FY2024 property data.
These lists use site points within county boundaries. A site may extend into another county.
For VA’s service-location rules, see the presumptive conditions list. A location listing does not establish personal exposure or eligibility.
On one night in January 2024, South Dakota Statewide CoC counted 42 veterans experiencing homelessness (28 sheltered, 14 unsheltered).
SD-500 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid).
The HUD workbook reports 66 veterans for the 2019 comparison.
This is a one-night count for the whole CoC area, not a county or annual total. CoC mapping method.
If you need housing help, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838. You can call any time, day or night.
Your nearest VA medical center by straight-line distance is Fort Meade VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab), 605-347-2511. Ask for the homeless coordinator.
VA's FY2026 Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) intake list names these providers. About VA SSVF (opens in a new tab).
The National Treatment Court Resource Center lists 1 veterans treatment court in Pennington County as of December 31, 2025.
These courts connect participating veterans involved in the justice system with treatment and support. Each court sets its own eligibility rules. National Treatment Court Resource Center maps (opens in a new tab).
Census incorporated places and census-designated places, sorted by ACS 2020-2024 population. Figures are ACS estimates for the whole place, not only the part inside this county. Places are assigned by their 2024 Census internal point and may cross county boundaries. Sources and mapping method.
For the Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 then press 1. VA crisis support (opens in a new tab)
South Dakota exempts $200,000 of qualifying owner-occupied dwelling value for veterans with permanent and total service-connected disability.
South Dakota provides free state university tuition to qualifying children under 25 of Guard members permanently and totally disabled through qualifying duty.
Ask the office about VA Form 21-0966 to preserve a potential benefits start date while gathering evidence. Check your intent to file deadline.
ACS 2020-2024; VA FY2025; geography/locations/benefits 2026; adjacency 2024. Distances: straight line from county center. Full method.
Distances are straight-line estimates between county internal points. Representatives may serve clients outside their local area.
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