Ohio veterans may apply for bonuses

Is your “unlimited” data being throttled?
2:32 p.m.
Kasich wants 100 gigabits per second state network, smarter smartphones
2:07 p.m.
Cracker Barrel manager accused of embezzling $2K
2:07 p.m.
Benefit dinner held for girl who died in car accident
2:00 p.m.
Wright-Patterson relatively unscathed in Obama defense budget
1:46 p.m.
> More headlines

By William Hershey, Columbus Bureau Updated 11:52 PM Tuesday, August 24, 2010

COLUMBUS — Ohio veterans of the Persian Gulf War and the continued fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and families of veterans killed in the fighting now may apply for the cash bonuses that voters approved for them last year, Gov. Ted Strickland said on Tuesday, Aug. 24.

Applications are available at www.veteransbonus.ohio.gov or at any of Ohio’s 88 county Veterans Services offices. Veterans also may call 1-877-OHIO VET (644-6838) to get a paper application.

Applying online is the simplest and fastest option, Strickland said.

After completing the application, the veteran must print it, sign it and have it notarized by a notary public or “acknowledged” by the clerk or deputy clerk of a county Common Pleas Court. Then it must be mailed to this address:

Ohio Veterans Bonus

P.O. Box 373

Sandusky, OH 44871

The final application cannot be submitted on the Internet because it must be notarized or acknowledged, officials said.

Clerks of courts offices and offices of Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray are ready to help veterans with their forms, Cordray said.

“With eight locations around Montgomery County, the clerk of courts office can make it very convenient for veterans and we are happy to help with this service,” Montgomery County Clerk of Courts Greg Brush said in a press release.

Applications will be notarized for free at the attorney general’s regional offices in Columbus, Cincinnati, Youngstown and Toledo.

A list of free notaries is available at:

www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/VeteransBonus .

The ballot issue approved by voters last November calls for bonuses of $5,000 for families of those killed in action and bonuses of $100 a month — up to $1,000 — for veterans who served in the conflicts. Veterans who served elsewhere during the conflicts qualify for bonuses of $50 a month, up to $500.

Applications should be processed in eight weeks, said Bill Hartnett, director of the Ohio Department of Veterans Affairs. He estimated as many as 200,000 veterans may qualify.

To qualify, a veteran must have been an Ohio resident at the start of active duty and also must be a resident when applying.

Share this article