Frederick County’s MVA location opened a Veterans Service Center (VSC) Wednesday, to help connect members of the military and veterans, as well as their families, to special programs.
The center is the tenth of its kind in Maryland to partner directly with a local MVA, explained Chrissy Nizer, Administrator for the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. The partnership is meant to create a “one stop shop” for veterans.
The center will staff trained benefits specialists who will be able to answer questions and help connect people with benefits they may qualify for. In addition to normal MVA services, this includes benefits counseling, help filing claims, and navigating state and federal resources.
In her experience working alongside veterans services, Nizer explained advisors add a human touch to a process that can otherwise be difficult to navigate. They work to break down the information, she says, making it as clear as possible. “I personally know some veterans who have gone through the process who were maybe a little bit confused about the paperwork,” Nizer said. “They have been so kind…walking them through and helping them to get the benefits they deserve.”
In 2025, more than 6,000 veterans and their families were helped by the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families (DVMF). More than half of those were assisted through other MVA centers and secured more than $23 million in benefits.
Frederick itself is home to more than 16,000 veterans as well as Fort Detrick, the largest military installation in the county. Nizer says before the facility opened, veterans may have found themselves needing to travel around to access programs, but clarified this center will keep things local. “MVA branch offices are conveniently located in the community,” Nizer said. “It’s all about that convenient service [and] meeting customers where they are at.”
In addition to better access, Ed Rothstein, Secretary for the DVMF and a 30-year veteran himself, says the center will help speed things up. With the help of VSCs, the time between veterans making a call and sitting down with an agent has dropped from more than a month to 5 days.
Getting in the know
Rothstein highlighted that for many service members and veterans, it can be a challenge to even know services are there. Rothstein recounted a recent story where his team was able to work with a 77-year-old Vietnam veteran. He explained that the man had lived for years without fully understanding the benefits he was entitled to.
The veteran eventually filed a claim which was approved in December, where he received $123,000 in retroactive benefits and, going forward, nearly $10,000 monthly. “He has his challenges, but this allows him to stay at home,” Rothstein said. “This allows him dignity, stability and peace of mind.”
Rothstein hopes this center will be able to foster more stories like that in Frederick.
Knowing what’s available is only part of the battle, as Rothstein explained for some veterans, it can be a matter of feeling they don't deserve it. Perhaps a service member never saw time overseas, never served somewhere like Vietnam, or only served a few years.
He explained that serving 30 years like he did, or four, doesn’t make a difference. “Sometimes they just don't see themselves as entitled to these benefits,” Rothstein said. “Others, they feel like they’re taking it away from somebody. Neither one is true.”
Rothstein said partnering with the Frederick County government will be an important part of marketing the center to get more people in the door. The DVFM will participate in a resource fair at Fort Meade on March 17.
