WESTHAMPTON — After the town of Westhampton’s previous veteran’s agent resigned, the town struck a deal with Easthampton to share Veterans Agent services to fill the crucial position.
Although he works full-time in Easthampton, Veterans Agent Thomas Geryk will be spending about 10-hours-a-month as the acting veterans agent in Westhampton, for fiscal year 2025.
“It’s really rewarding work …” said Geryk about being a veterans agent. “We get a lot of good results and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”
In June, former Westhampton Veterans Agent Joe Henning, resigned effective June 30. A replacement needed to be found quickly since Municipalities are required by Massachusetts General Law to employ a veterans agent, leading to the town’s arrangement with Easthampton to share services.
“He met the needs of the position, he did everything he needed to and the town was well served by Joe no questions,” said Westhampton Town Coordinator Douglas Finn said about Henning. “But we’re getting a little bit more in terms of outreach and some information events through what Easthampton is doing, so they’re providing more services.”
The veterans agent services will cost the town approximately $4,400 for the year of his services, an increase from approximately $2,200 of the previous agent.
Finn noted it will be a key component of Geryk’s role to provide consistent outreach to both qualified and unqualified veterans, with fewer than five registered veterans in the town. Finn encouraged any residents in town who may qualify for veterans benefits to reach out to Geryk.
Geryk began work in veteran’s services at the Central Hampshire Veteran’s Services of Northampton in 2014 where he worked for roughly seven years, growing his experience.
“I was fortunate to be able to work through there because I got a lot of experience with the different needs of the different types of communities: the more rural and suburban communities,” said Geryk about working in Northampton.
A veterans agent is a one-stop resource for veterans to gather resources and find benefits they may qualify for. The role of a veterans agent is to connect current and former service members and their families to federal, state, and local benefits and services.
“If a veteran or a family member comes to us, we do a needs assessment to see what their needs are and what they qualify for,” said Geryk.
Since he began in Easthampton, Geryk became qualified to administer veteran’s agent assessments to evaluate veteran’s eligibility for compensation and pension claims, and benefits under Chap. 115 of Massachusetts General Law. The chapter outlines qualifications for eligibility of financial aid towards essential living needs. Qualification for benefits depends on multiple factors including service time, discharge status, financial need and more.
Geryk was appointed as Easthampton Veterans Agent in November 2023 and has been heavily involved in the veteran’s community since. He works closely with the Easthampton Coalition of Veterans Wellness, a nonprofit fighting providing resources aiming to fight against veteran isolation.
The group works with the Building Bridges Veterans Initiative in Springfield to host free luncheons for veterans on the first Wednesday of each month, providing a space for veterans to come mingle and build relationships. Geryk and the coalition work closely with the Easthampton Veterans Council to monitor legislation geared towards veterans affairs.
“I’m very grateful for that structure that we have in Easthampton,” Geryk said about the veteran community.
Geryk encourages all veterans in Westhampton and Easthampton to reach out for an assessment and to access all the services provided.
Sam Ferland can be reached at sferland@gazettenet.com
