County agencies offer veterans’ ID cards

VW independent/submitted information

Van Wert County Veterans Service Officer Barry Johns and Van Wert County Recorder Kim Hughes have taken a big step in advancing Van Wert County’s veterans identification cards this past year.

The process began on September 8, 2016, when Ohio House Bill 173 was passed. The legislation was created so that everyone who served in the military would be able to have an identification card.

With the process completed, the county agencies have announced that veterans identification cards will now be the same throughout the State of Ohio, and will be available starting Friday, November 3.

Veterans who already have a Van Wert County veterans’ identification card will receive a new Ohio identification card in the mail once they are printed.

Veterans that do not have a veterans’ identification card may call the Van Wert County Veterans Service Office to schedule an appointment to have an identification card made. The card contains a picture of each veteran, as well as various information regarding his or her military service.

The new cards have all of the same functions as the old card, but with more possibilities. Veterans identification cards may be used as proof of military service, to obtain discounts at participating retail and commercial businesses in the military discount program, and, in some cases, may be used as a form of identification for other purposes.

Since this is now an Ohio veterans’ identification card, veterans will be able to use it with other counties’ military discount programs while traveling around Ohio.

In order to have an Ohio identification card made, veterans will need to bring in a copy of their DD Form 214 and have it recorded in the Van Wert County Recorder’s Office prior to their appointment with the Veterans Service Office, along with one other form of identification with a picture on it.

To maintain the equipment that makes the cards, the Veterans Service Office will charge a fee of $1 at the time of the appointment.

The Van Wert County Veterans Service Office is located in Room 101 in the basement of the Van Wert Courthouse, 121 E. Main St. in Van Wert. To contact the office, call 419.238.9592.