(1) The county governing body in each county may appoint a service officer who shall give aid and assistance to any veteran, the spouse or dependents of the veteran or the survivors of the veteran, in applying for all benefits and aid to which they are entitled by federal, state or local laws, rules and regulations. The county governing body shall fix the compensation of the service officer, provide the service officer with an office and the necessary equipment therefor in the same manner as provided for any other county officer. If a county governing body appoints a service officer, the governing body shall also provide in the annual budget for expenditure of moneys sufficient to enable the county to employ the service officer, to properly maintain the office provided for the service officer and to pay the costs incurred by the service officer in providing assistance to veterans, spouses and dependents of veterans or survivors of veterans.

(2) As used in this section:

(a) ‘Survivor of a veteran’ means the spouse or a dependent of a deceased veteran.

(b) ‘Veteran’ has the meaning given that term in ORS § 408.225. [Amended by 1995 c.557 § 1; 2007 c.357 § 6; 2009 c.41 § 13; 2023 c.173 § 10]