Headquartered inside the Robert M. Moore Administration Building / Gulf County Courthouse Complex at 1000 Cecil G. Costin Sr. Boulevard, Room 311 (historically cross-referenced with Rooms 136 and 303), Port St. Joe, FL 32456 ((850) 229-6125, Fax (850) 229-7180, vetservices@gulfcounty-fl.gov), the Gulf County Veterans Service Office is Gulf County's official statutory veterans benefit and administrative claims agency under Florida Statutes § 292.11 and federal 38 C.F.R. § 14.629. Staffed by Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs (FDVA) and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of General Counsel (VA OGC) Accredited County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO) Director Joe Paul (jpaul@gulfcounty-fl.gov) and Accredited CVSO Lynn Lanier (llanier@gulfcounty-fl.gov), the office provides 100% free statutory benefit representation—protecting Gulf County seniors from unaccredited pension-poaching consultants—for wartime veterans and surviving spouses across Port St. Joe (32456), Wewahitchka (32465), Highland View, White City, Overstreet, Dalkeith, Cape San Blas, and Indian Pass. Core services include preparing and prosecuting tax-free VA Aid & Attendance (A&A) and Housebound Enhanced Pensions (38 U.S.C. §§ 1521 & 1541) to fund in-home care, assisted living, or skilled nursing care; surviving spouse Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and Survivors Pension claims; Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune, Gulf War, and PACT Act toxic-exposure disability claims; Supplemental Claims, Higher-Level Reviews, and Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) dockets; and Florida 100% Permanent & Total Disabled Veteran and Combat-Aged Senior Homestead Property Tax Exemption certifications (F.S. §§ 196.081 & 196.082) with the Gulf County Property Appraiser. Because Gulf County has zero (0) in-county VA outpatient clinics, CVSOs Joe Paul and Lynn Lanier also coordinate VA healthcare enrollment, travel benefits, and long-term care referrals to the nearest VA medical facilities under the VA Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System—the Panama City Beach VA Outpatient Clinic (2600 Veterans Way, Panama City Beach, FL 32408) and the 120-bed Clifford Chester Sims State Veterans' Nursing Home (4419 Tram Rd, Panama City, FL 32404, (850) 747-5401) (acceptsMedicaid: false).
Official Verification Sources: Gulf County Board of County Commissioners — Veterans Service Office (Joe Paul & Lynn Lanier); Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs (FDVA) — County Veterans Service Offices Directory; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — Panama City Beach VA Clinic (2600 Veterans Way)
Issuer: Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs (FDVA), U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs Office of General Counsel (VA OGC) & Gulf County BOCC
Notes: Verified 2026-10-26 via FDVA & Gulf County BOCC: Gulf County Veterans Service Office, 1000 Cecil G. Costin Sr. Blvd, Room 311 (also referenced as Rm 303 / Rm 136), Port St. Joe, FL 32456 ((850) 229-6125, Fax (850) 229-7180, vetservices@gulfcounty-fl.gov). Staffed by CVSO Director Joe Paul (jpaul@gulfcounty-fl.gov) and CVSO Lynn Lanier (llanier@gulfcounty-fl.gov). Coordinates outpatient care with the Panama City Beach VA Clinic (2600 Veterans Way, Panama City Beach, FL 32408) and Marianna VA Clinic (4970 Hwy 90, Marianna, FL 32446).
Factual details and direct answers about Gulf County Veterans Service Office (VSO) — CVSO Director Joe Paul & CVSO Lynn Lanier (Port St. Joe & Wewahitchka Statutory VA Aid & Attendance Pension & Survivor Benefits Advocacy)'s services, licensing, and credentials.
Who are the accredited Veterans Service Officers in Gulf County, and is there any charge for filing a VA Aid & Attendance pension claim?
Gulf County's Veterans Service Office at 1000 Cecil G. Costin Sr. Boulevard, Room 311 (Robert M. Moore Administration Building), Port St. Joe, FL 32456 ((850) 229-6125) is staffed by FDVA-accredited CVSO Director Joe Paul and CVSO Lynn Lanier. Under Florida Statutes § 292.11 and federal law (38 C.F.R. § 14.629), all VA benefit claims—including Aid & Attendance long-term care pensions, DIC survivor benefits, and PACT Act disability claims—are prepared and filed 100% free of charge.
Is there a VA Outpatient Clinic inside Port St. Joe or Wewahitchka, and where do Gulf County veterans go for VA medical and nursing home care?
There is no standalone VA Outpatient Clinic physically located inside Gulf County. CVSOs Joe Paul and Lynn Lanier ((850) 229-6125) enroll Port St. Joe and Wewahitchka veterans in the VA Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System and coordinate primary and specialty care at the nearby Panama City Beach VA Outpatient Clinic (2600 Veterans Way, Panama City Beach, FL 32408) or the Marianna VA Clinic (4970 Hwy 90, Marianna, FL 32446), as well as skilled nursing admissions to the 120-bed Clifford Chester Sims State Veterans' Nursing Home in Panama City ((850) 747-5401).
Connect with complementary legal, financial, and residential providers serving seniors in Port St. Joe and Gulf County.
Centennial Bank — Port St. Joe & Wewahitchka In-County Branches & Centennial Financial Services (Crowley Wealth / Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC)
Port St. Joe, Gulf County
(850) 227-2601
Port St. Joe USDA Section 515 & FHFC LIHTC Apartments — Pine Ridge Apartments, Liberty Manor Apartments, Gateway of St. Joe & Bridgeport (32456)
Port St. Joe, Gulf County
(850) 227-7451
Shores Nursing and Rehab Center (Formerly The Bridge at Bay St. Joe — #SNF1038096) & Our Home at Beacon Hill ALF (#AL10713) — Port St. Joe In-County Long-Term Care
Port St. Joe, Gulf County
(850) 229-8244
Expert guidance, benefit eligibility rules, and state protections for older Florida residents and family caregivers.
Senior Citizen Benefits in Florida →
How wartime veterans and surviving spouses in Gulf County qualify for tax-free VA Aid & Attendance long-term care pensions.
Florida Property Tax Exemptions for Seniors →
Applying for Florida Disabled Veteran Homestead Tax Exemptions (F.S. §§ 196.081 & 196.082) in Port St. Joe.
Novak Law Group, PLLC (Jeremy T.M. Novak, Esq. — Gulf County Attorney) & Rish & Gibson, P.A. (Thomas S. Gibson, Esq.) — Port St. Joe Probate, Estate Planning, Trust & Real Property Counsel
Port St. Joe, Gulf County
Gulf County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller — Probate, Guardianship & Small Estate Division (Hon. James M. 'Matt' Terry / Former Clerk Hon. Rebecca 'Becky' L. Norris, Judge Timothy J. McFarland & North Florida OPG)
Port St. Joe, Gulf County
Legal Services of North Florida, Inc. (LSNF) — Panama City 14th Circuit Regional Office & Gulf County Title III-B Senior Legal Helpline (with Port St. Joe & Wewahitchka Senior Center Outreach)
Port St. Joe, Gulf County
Costin & Costin (Charles A. Costin, Esq. & Lauren M. Costin, Esq.), Law Offices J. Patrick Floyd Chartered & Clinton T. McCahill, P.A. — Port St. Joe & Wewahitchka Probate, Real Property & Municipal Counsel (with Wewahitchka City Attorney Michelle Blankenship Jordan, Esq.)
Port St. Joe, Gulf County
Disclaimer: This directory listing is for informational purposes only. Florida Senior Support does not endorse or guarantee the quality of services. Please verify information and services directly with the organization.