Find veterans benefits and claims contacts for Columbia County, Wisconsin.
Wisconsin County Veterans Service Officers
County service officer roster lists Kent Telford. Call to confirm claims help, schedule and location.
Area served: Columbia County.
Hours are not confirmed. Contact the provider before planning a visit.
For statewide phone and remote help, see the Wisconsin directory.
Wisconsin directs veterans to county or tribal veterans service officers. The county roster lists a contact; call to confirm claims help, office hours and the meeting place.
Official county or service directory (opens in a new tab) · Official county or service directory (opens in a new tab)
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 3,640, give or take 314 civilian veterans in Columbia County.
By ACS estimates, Columbia County has the 26th largest veteran population among Wisconsin's 72 counties and equivalents.
| Measure | Columbia County | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share with a service-connected rating | 20 percent below the Wisconsin share; below the national share. | 26 percent | 30 percent |
| Share rated 70 percent or higher | 7 percent below the Wisconsin share; below the national share. | 9 percent | 13 percent |
Columbia County has about 869, give or take 138 veterans 75 and older, making up 24 percent of its veterans compared with 29 percent in Wisconsin.
Columbia County has about 165, give or take 71 veterans under 35, making up 5 percent of its veterans compared with 7 percent in Wisconsin.
Women veterans in Columbia County number about 316, give or take 108; their 9 percent share is above Wisconsin's 8 percent.
| Measure | Columbia County | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $53,289 ± $4,584 | $52,181 ± $597 | $54,224 ± $147 |
| Nonveteran median income, age 18 and over with income | $47,234 ± $1,136 | $43,722 ± $273 | $41,154 ± $99 |
| Veterans below poverty level, age 18 and over | 5.6% ± 2.6 points | 6.5% ± 0.3 points | 7.4% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a disability, age 18 and over | 24.7% ± 4.4 points | 28.1% ± 0.6 points | 30.7% ± 0.1 points |
| Employed share of veterans, ages 18 to 64 | 81.5% ± 6.1 points | 76.7% ± 0.9 points | 73.9% ± 0.2 points |
| Unemployed share of veterans in the labor force, ages 18 to 64 | 0.9% ± 0.6 points; small survey sample; treat as rough | Not compared | Not compared |
| Veterans with high school or more, age 25 and over | 93.3% ± 2.6 points | 95.6% ± 0.3 points | 95.5% ± 0.1 points |
| Veterans with a bachelor’s degree or more, age 25 and over | 18.8% ± 3.1 points | 25.8% ± 0.6 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 3,000 on September 30, 2035, compared with 4,000 on September 30, 2026. VetPop2023 projections are rounded to the nearest 1,000 as VA directs. Projection source and method.
VA reports 1,202 veterans in Columbia County receiving disability compensation in FY2025.
| Rating group | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 0 to 20 percent | 348 |
| 30 to 40 percent | 145 |
| 50 to 60 percent | 157 |
| 70 to 90 percent | 307 |
| 100 percent | 245 |
FY2019: 857 recipients. Change to FY2025: +345.
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 99 VA-backed home loans out of 2,030 home loans made in Columbia County (4.9% VA), under the federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA).
Average VA loan amount reported: about $350,000.
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 1,070, give or take 129) and between the Vietnam and Gulf War eras (about 766, give or take 185).
For questions about Vietnam-era exposure rules, read the Agent Orange presumptive conditions list; eligibility depends on your service and condition.
VA reported about $31.6 million in compensation and pension spending and about $29.4 million in medical care spending in Columbia County for FY2025.
William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans' Hospital (opens in a new tab)
2500 Overlook Terrace, Madison, WI 53705-2254
New-patient wait for mental health: 53 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
New-patient wait for primary care: 21 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 28 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Madison East VA Clinic (opens in a new tab)
4904 Eastpark Boulevard, Madison, WI 53718-2002
New-patient wait for primary care: 22 days (VA, as of October 1, 2026).
about 23 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Madison Vet Center (opens in a new tab)
1291 North Sherman Avenue, Madison, WI 53704
about 25 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Milwaukee VA Regional Benefit Office (opens in a new tab)
5400 W. National Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53214
about 75 miles in a straight line from the county center.
Call to confirm hours before you go.
The second-nearest medical center to Columbia County is Tomah VA Medical Center (opens in a new tab) in Tomah, WI, about 69 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The second-nearest Vet Center to Columbia County is Milwaukee Vet Center (opens in a new tab) in Milwaukee, WI, about 68 miles in a straight line from the county center.
The state registry lists Milwaukee RO (station 330); county claims jurisdiction is unconfirmed.
Rock Island National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
Rock Island Arsenal, Building 118 Rock Island, IL 61299
309-784-0000
About 148.2 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: open.
Fort Sheridan National Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
Vattman Road Fort Sheridan, IL 60037
224-610-7296
About 115.3 miles in a straight line from the county center. Burial space: cremation only.
Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery (opens in a new tab)
N2665 Hwy QQ King, WI 54946
715-256-5000
About 60.4 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, Wisconsin Balance of State CoC counted 175 veterans experiencing homelessness (159 sheltered, 16 unsheltered).
WI-500 is the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) selected by this county's geographic center (polygon centroid). This Balance of State area covers communities outside separate local CoCs.
The HUD workbook reports 195 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 William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans' Hospital (opens in a new tab), 608-256-1901. 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).
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)
Eligible Wisconsin veterans rated 100 percent or individually unemployable can claim a state income tax credit for property taxes paid on their principal dwelling.
Wisconsin waives public college tuition and segregated fees for qualifying dependents of veterans rated at least 30 percent, for eight semesters or 128 credits.
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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