City spotlights Veteran Services Office; VSO credited with millions in awards to Palm Bay veterans
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Summary
Acting Deputy City Manager Jason De Lorenzo presented a video and statistics Nov. 6 highlighting Palm Bay's Veteran Services Office. Officials said VSO Jeremy Van Cleave and staff secured roughly $3.65 million for permanently and totally disabled claims in 2024 for Palm Bay veterans and an additional $2.1 million through October 2025.
Palm Bay highlighted the work of its Veteran Services Office (VSO) at the Nov. 6 council meeting, where officials praised VSO staff for helping veterans obtain federal benefits and for bringing millions of dollars into the local community.
Acting Deputy City Manager Jason De Lorenzo introduced a short video and noted the VSO team, which includes Jeremy Van Cleave (Veteran Service Officer) and administrative staff, "worked tirelessly to assist our vets in need." De Lorenzo said last year Van Cleave secured $3,650,000 for permanently and totally disabled claims for Palm Bay veterans and that through October 2025 he had secured another $2,100,000.
Speakers and veterans in the room described personal cases in which the VSO helped secure benefits, obtain transitional housing and connect veterans with services. De Lorenzo said the city funds one of six VSOs in Brevard County and that demand for appointments often results in a four- to six-week wait because Van Cleave is highly sought after.
Why it matters: Local VSOs help veterans navigate complex federal benefits systems; the council framed the VSO as both a service to veterans and a return-on-investment for the community through benefit awards.
What comes next: Council expressed support for continued investment in veteran services and thanked staff for the presentation.