Cook County Clerk Karen A. Yarbrough is marking National Military Appreciation Month by reminding veterans that the Clerk’s Veterans Affairs Office is open for business and offers free services including a special Veterans Discount Card as well as the opportunity to officially record and preserve their military certificate of release from active duty.
All Cook County Veterans, active-duty personnel, and other members of the military are invited to apply for the free Military and Veteran’s Discount Program, a public-private partnership that offers reduced costs and benefits to veterans from dozens of Cook County businesses.
Veterans who apply for the program receive a County-issued identification card making them eligible for discounts on a wide range of services including food, auto repair, legal services as well as health and fitness memberships. Among the many businesses that provide discounts are Brookfield Zoo, Steppenwolf Theatre, and select Chicagoland Culver’s restaurants.
Cook County business owners are also encouraged to partner with the Clerk’s Office to offer discounted services for veterans, according to Yarbrough.
“This program represents a tremendous public-private partnership, and we are proud to honor and salute the commitment of veterans and all members of the military in this way,” said Yarbrough. “This is an important month of recognition for our Veterans, and we want to remind them that they can take advantage of these special offers at absolutely no cost.”
The Clerk’s Veterans Affairs Office also offers veterans the opportunity to record their DD 214 military certificate of release or discharge, to officially preserve the documents and be eligible to receive a free certified copy at any time.
Veterans who record their DD 214 with the Clerk’s Office will always have an official copy of the documents available if needed when applying for military service benefits, retirement, or death benefits, or if the original document is inadvertently misplaced or destroyed.
Applications for the discount program, which is administered jointly by the Clerk’s Office and the Cook County Office of Veterans Affairs, can be completed in person or online. The Clerk’s Veterans Affairs Office, located at 118 N. Clark in Chicago, is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To make an appointment or for further information call 312-603-5788.
To apply for a discount card online go to cookcountyclerk.com/veterans.
For businesses interested in participating in the Military Discount Program visit: bit.ly/3hhxPvK.
###