Since becoming Luzerne County Veteran Affairs director in March, Oscar Flores has been looking for new ways to care for his fellow veterans and their families.
One example is the donation-driven county veterans fund he established through the Luzerne Foundation to ensure no veteran residing in the county “faces hardship alone.”
Assistance provided from the fund to date included the purchase of a microwave for a veteran and payment for two veterans to restore utilities — one water and the other electric, he said.
Funds were also used to certify the county office’s administrative assistant and veteran service officer, Kelly Sromovski, as a notary so veterans can get their documents notarized on the spot without visiting another location or paying a fee.
Another addition was a veteran bus trip to Washington, D.C., so county veterans could visit monuments on the National Mall and observe a wreath ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Arlington National Cemetery. Approximately 70 veterans and their family members participated, with the Cross Valley Federal Credit Union paying transportation costs, Flores said.
The trip, which he wants to repeat in the future, evolved from a veteran’s spouse seeking assistance to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to see her husband’s name, he said.
Some of the veterans had never been to the capital to see the monuments or witnessed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, he said.
“That trip was a thank you for their service. It was a moment of reflection on their service and the service of others,” Flores said. “It was so memorable to take veterans there and to get to see that and experience that.”
Flores was grateful to see the National Military Monument, which recognizes more than 41 million Americans who have served across the nation’s 250 years.
Visitors can enter an online code to see the name of a veteran on the monument screen while they are present, and Flores was able to witness his name along with those of his brother and nephew.
Flores served in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard from 2003 to 2024. He was deployed twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom — first to Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008 and then to Kuwait from 2012 to 2013, he said.
The bus trip he coordinated for veterans reminded him of the Army’s “Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) program when he and his fellow soldiers had appreciated opportunities to visit Kuwait City to experience museums and restaurants.
He views Sunday’s Wyoming Valley Veterans Day Parade as another chance to make veterans feel appreciated. Working with the parade committee, Flores coordinated the purchase of small flags to distribute to parade attendees.
“The flags bring a feeling of nostalgia and patriotism,” Flores said. “I think it’s very important to show that to the veterans, that they’re supported.”
The 81st annual parade will start at 2 p.m. at the corner of Rutter Avenue and Market Street in Kingston and proceed east on Market Street, crossing the Market Street Bridge and continuing around Public Square in Wilkes-Barre before disbanding on North Main Street.
Flores and his staff will distribute flags along the parade route, along with students participating in the parade’s essay contest, he said.
Beyond the parade, the flags can be kept as a patriotic memento, he said, noting he still has one from a past parade he attended.
Services
The county has an estimated 17,000 or so veterans, Flores said.
Located at 61-63 Water St. in Wilkes-Barre, the office is busier than ever, he said, adding that he wants it that way. Services are also available at the county’s southern annex in Hazleton City Hall. He advises veterans to contact the office to schedule a visit, when possible, at 570-706-3960 or Luzerne.VA@luzernecounty.org.
A range of assistance is available for veterans through county, state and federal governmental programs and those run by outside entities, he said. Although the county office does not handle all of them directly, he views it as a local resource to assist veterans and guide them.
“It’s almost like a one-stop shop here,” Flores said.
During a recent interview, Flores paused to take a call about a veteran in need of housing he has been trying to help.
One resource for that veteran and others is the Veteran Temporary Assistance Program that provides up to $1,600 in emergency assistance to eligible veterans or their surviving spouses to help with unforeseen financial hardships beyond their control, he said. Funds for this state program come from $5 donations made when people register their vehicles, he said.
This county is among only a few in the state that provide county real estate tax exemption to veterans disabled during peacetime, he said.
Honorably discharged veterans are eligible for real estate tax exemption if they were disabled during a period of war, and County Council voted in June 2025 to add disabled non-wartime veterans to the program for county taxes only.
A total of 38 peacetime county veterans are participating in the expanded program, Flores said.
The county office’s staff of four, which includes Flores, tries to provide a welcoming atmosphere for veterans seeking assistance, he said, describing veterans as “very complicated.”
“I am a veteran. I know the struggles that exist,” he said.
Sometimes chats are necessary to make veterans relax and open up about their needs, he said.
“They have learned to survive in different environments in the military and endure through struggles and hardship,” Flores said. “Sometimes they’re stubborn about getting services because they’ve always had to be resourceful. It’s important for them to understand there are people trying to help them.”
Flores said he and his staff “might not have all the answers,” but they will get them.
He is also attempting to tap resources from other county agencies because the office falls under the county’s Human Services Division, which provides services for the elderly and those with substance use disorder and mental health issues.
For example, Flores worked with the county Mental Health and Developmental Services to contact VFW posts offering free access to an online suicide prevention and intervention training program through LivingWorks Education USA.
“Post leaders, staff, bartenders, and fellow members often develop relationships with veterans that allow them to notice when someone may be struggling, withdrawing, or simply not acting like themselves,” the county’s communication said. “Sometimes, a conversation with a familiar and trusted person can make an enormous difference.”
Flores said a couple of representatives participated, but he hopes to drum up more interest in the future.
He credited his workers for their commitment to the mission — Sromovski, deputy director Frances Capparell, and veteran service officer Lisa Deangelo.
“I have a great team. I’m very lucky,” Flores said.