Veterans in Rowan County are speaking out against the local agency that handles their benefits and assistance. They told Eyewitness News the Veterans Service Office is ignoring their calls and treats them poorly.

When disabled veteran Jon Morris recently had a question about his benefits, he called the nearest Veterans Service Office in Rowan County.  No one answered, so he left a voicemail.  He said no one called him back.

Several days and eight voicemails later, he said Veteran Service Officer Elaine Howle finally reached out, and left a message on his answering machine:

“After your eight calls, you don't ever need to call me but once. I will always call you back.  I just have to wait for your turn comes up in line. You never get through directly to me either, because I'm a one-woman operation,” Howle said.

“I think it was the most disrespectful voicemail that I could have gotten,” Morris said.  Listen to the full voicemail.

Eyewitness News uncovered multiple complaints from veterans, dissatisfied with the Rowan County VSO and Howle.

Howle did not want to go on camera, but said she disagrees with the complaints and defended the voicemail she left Morris.

The Iraq war veteran said he finally got his question answered -- from another North Carolina VSO. He's worried other veterans seeking help in Rowan County may give up out of frustration.

“For us to come back and them to be kind of nasty with us, that's not right. That's disrespectful and shameful,” Morris said.

The Rowan County manager, who oversees the VSO, did not want to go on camera, but is asking for an audit to make sure veterans' claims are handled properly.