Drawing on his experiences
New deputy director says his background helps him relate to veterans
The Berks County Veterans Affairs office has a new deputy director in place, and his experience as a Marine and later as a civilian counselor make him a good fit for the job, officials said.
George Bolton began in early January as second-incharge of the Cherry Street office, which is led by director Ken Lebron.
Bolton succeeds Jason Mattise-Nauman, who was hired by Cabrini University as a social work department head and professor.
Bolton, 49, of Mount
Penn, graduated from Exeter High School in 1992 and Kutztown University in 1996 with a Bachelor’s Degree in clinical psychology and a minor in criminal justice.
He then served 17 years in the Marines, medically retiring as a gunnery sergeant in 2020. He worked in field artillery and is a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, having been deployed to Iraq in 2006-07.
After the Marines he worked in the mental health and social services fields in Berks for almost three years before seeking the deputy director position.
“I wanted to get back to working with veterans and ensure that they get the benefits they deserve,” he said. “It’s a humbling experience to work with them. I’m ecstatic to be here.”
Bolton knows well the mental and physical tolls that military service can take, he said, and is committed to making sure veterans are cared for properly after making those sacrifices.
“I can relate to what they’ve been through and communicate with them to help build a strong case to get their compensation,” he said.
Bolton said his education, work with the local homeless population while employed by Opportunity House and his time spent helping those going through mental health crises while he was working for Service Access Management will also help him to understand veterans going through tough times.
He is training to get his certification as a veterans service officer.
Lebron agreed that Bolton’s military background and civilian work experiences make him the right person for the job.
“He has an interest and a passion for working with veterans and their families in Berks County, and he understands the importance of quality customer service to
all who we serve,” Lebron said.
That attitude is crucial, Lebron said, because his office is so busy.
Of the approximately 719,000 veterans living across Pennsylvania, Berks is home to more than 21,000, according to census figures.
During the 2021-22 fiscal year, the office helped secure more than $30 million in current and retroactive compensation, pension, survivor pension, and dependency and indemnity compensation payments for Berks veterans and their dependents living here, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
During that same period, the office completed 1,762 new forms submissions to the VA on behalf of claimants, which included paperwork for power of attorney, compensation benefits and pension claims, and appeals.
“These numbers are not the only indicator we use to show our office’s volume and production, but instead it is only a few metrics we use to show the dedication and effort put forth by this entire team to serve the veterans of this county to the best of our ability,” Lebron said.