Lake County veterans leader elected as judge advocate of national veterans group

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Andrew Tangen, superintendent at the Veterans Assistance Commission of Lake County, was elected June 8 as the judge advocate of the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers at their annual business meeting and training conference.

Tangen assists veterans and their families in Lake County by advocating for veterans to obtain the benefits and services they deserve. As a judge advocate, he will serve in the governing body of NACVSO, which oversees multiple lines of service and the overall operations of the 30-year-old organization.

Tangen served as a lieutenant commander in the Navy for 14 years and is working as the president of the Illinois association of county veterans’ assistance commissions.

Since 1989, NACVSO has advocated for government policies that serve veterans and has supported the nation’s nearly 1,700 county veterans service officers. CVSOs are local government employees responsible for helping veterans and their families in their communities access their benefits. CVSOs can help advocate for veterans and their families with the VA, connect them to state and local resources and identify gaps in policies that serve the veterans in their communities.