Veterans Services
The Veterans Services office assists veterans and their dependents in obtaining benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs.
Essential Department Functions: Advise local veterans and their dependents of their entitlement under various Federal and State laws, counsel them, and actively assist them in obtaining Federal and State veterans benefits.
Appointments are not required; however, to avoid the possibility of a lengthy wait it is advisable to call before visiting the office.
The Veterans Services office is located at 900 North Main St.
Walk-in hours are:
Monday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Wednesday 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
A DD 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) or equivalent is necessary to begin application for any VA or North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs benefit. If the DD 214 is unavailable the Veterans Service Officer can assist in obtaining a replacement.
Additionally, most VA and North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs benefit applications require specific information regarding income, net worth, and current and prior marriages of both the veteran and spouse.
Whitney A. Gray: Veterans Service Officer
Whitney is a U.S. Army Veteran, where she served in Panama as a Sergeant in Military Intelligence. She later earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from West Virginia State University. Whitney’s career spans over 20 years and includes working in social, workforce and Veterans Services.
Whitney has lived and worked in Western North Carolina since 2016. Before coming to Henderson County local government, she served as a Veterans Service Officer for the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs’ Western 12-county district.
Brent Embry: Veterans Service Officer
Brent is a veteran whose military service spans 22 years and includes time in the US Air Force and the US Navy, where he retired as a Commander. His career includes serving as an Aircraft Maintenance and Munitions Officer and a Navy Surface Warfare Officer. These positions took him many places including Arizona, Utah, the Persian Gulf, Florida, Italy, Africa, Lebanon, Rhode Island, and Guam. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Louisiana State University, and a master’s degree from the Naval War College.
Since retiring from the Navy, Brent has lived and worked in Western North Carolina. Before coming to Henderson County local government, he served as the lead Veterans Service Officer of the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs’ western 12-county district.
Rebecca Smith: Veterans Service Officer
Rebecca’s passion for service has led her to pursue a variety of positions throughout her career. She graduated from the University of North Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs. During that time, she studied abroad in Beijing and spent a term of service with AmeriCorps NCCC. Since then, she has worked in both the literary and financial sectors before her passion for helping others led her to Veterans Services.
Rebecca lives in Flat Rock with her cat, Nox, and her dog, Winston. She enjoys spending time in nature, gardening, painting, and reading. Whenever she has the opportunity, she travels to Pensacola to spend time with her sister and brother-in-law, who is an officer in the United States Navy.
