North County Welcomes New Veterans Agent
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The city has appointed Kurtis Durocher as its new veterans agent, and he hopes to connect with as many veterans as possible.
"I have been deployed five times, and so I can speak on that level. I can speak on the disability level. I can speak on many levels that these guys coming in here can relate to," he said. "Whether it's the vent or just to let somebody hear their voice. I definitely gravitate towards that, and I let them know that I have been in their shoes."
Durocher, a retired master sergeant with 20 years of military experience, assumed the role in February, succeeding former agent Mitchell Keil. He was most recently director of learning and employee development at BFAIR.
His military career includes multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and his decorations include the Purple Heart and bronze star medals among others.
"I joined the Army in 2001. My first day was actually the day the towers fell," he said. "So I did 20 years as an infantryman and retired as a master sergeant in 2021."
Durocher, originally from Williamstown, said he has settled into the position but is still learning. He said he is familiar with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs system.
"I understand the VA portion of it really well, Chapter 115," he said. "So it's just kind of one of those muscle memory, repetitive things. I love it. It's great. It's kind of what I wanted to do when I got out so it's perfect."
Durocher expressed his desire to help members of his community and saw the veterans agent position as an ideal opportunity to do so, allowing him to play an active role in improving the lives of fellow veterans.
"I get to revisit my military past without having to join the military again. So it's kind of nice to reconnect with veterans of all walks of life. Unfortunately, a lot of times I have to meet people who are falling on tough times, but it's nice to be able to kind of show them some of the resources they have in Massachusetts," he said. "You see the air go back into them. It is not the end of the world, and I can point out those resources."
Durocher services eight communities that includes roughly 100 veterans and dependents. He said the job can be frantic but thankfully that is where he works best
"There's 100 things going on at once, but I like that. It keeps me busy," he said. "Through multitasking, I'm good at prioritizing things. Everything's a priority. It's just kind of just checking things off the list."
Durocher said he had no immediate changes he would like to implement, but expressed interest in starting a hero banner program in North Adams.
"I am hoping to get it kicked off this year," he said. "I hope it catches on and next year it will boom."
He said he would first focus on the 20 or so poles on Main Street and then expand from there. He would like them to hang from Memorial Day to Veterans Day.
He asked that families interested in a banner should contact his office. He said he hopes to create a scholarship fund to keep the cost low for families.
"If there is available funding for it absolutely it will be paid for. I am trying to reduce costs as much as possible. We don't want to make money off of this," he said. "... I am going to reach out to businesses and local individuals that I know in town so we can try to build that fund. Maybe no one is paying or maybe we can cut it in half."
While Durocher is committed to helping veterans, he acknowledged the process can involve waiting periods, especially when requesting records from state agencies. He said it is important to manage these expectations with veterans and their dependents.
"When you request records it could take three weeks, it could take 12 weeks so it is kind of a waiting game," he said.
Once all documents are submitted, the process is straightforward, and veterans and dependents typically receive payment from the date they initiate the process.
"If you put in a disability claim and you started today, but you don't actually get all your paperwork until six months from now, you're gonna get paid from today," he said. "It is just important to start that process and have some patience."
He noted that one of the biggest challenges of the job is getting veterans to come in for assistance, as many feel that others are more in need of help.
"They earned this, and at the end of the day, it's a noble thing for them to say that but it's not correct because the money is there and it is their money," he said. "And if they don't take it, it's just going to sit there, and the state is just going to spend it. So, at the end of the day, that's the hardest part, getting these, especially the older generation of veterans. It's just a way of life for them to decline that kind of stuff."
He added that he wished more veterans also accepted the Welcome Home Bonus. He noted that many veterans don't know about it.
Massachusetts' Welcome Home Bonus gives money to eligible veterans who lived in the state before serving. Bonus amounts vary by service location and time, especially for those in Afghanistan or Iraq. Veterans must apply with proof of service and residency.
In the immediate future, Durocher hopes to improve the Veteran Services website with more resources and an up-to-date calendar of events. Regarding events, he announced a Veterans Coffee Hour to be held at the North Adams Elks Lodge on March 20 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and a Veterans Luncheon to be held at the Adams American Legion from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m on. April 10. He also added that the Adams Veterans Office has moved to the Visitors Center; he's there Tuesday afternoons and by appointment.
Durocher said his goal is to connect with every veteran.
"I am happy if one person comes in, however, I'm not satisfied," he said. "... Satisfaction would be 100 percent."
Durocher can be contacted at Kdurocher@northadams-ma.gov or by telephone 413-662-3040.
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