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Robert Vernon, the new veterans service representative for northern Nye and Esmeralda counties, didn't even make it to the microphone before a request to divide his time between Tonopah and Pahrump was denied by Nye County Commissioners Tuesday.

Vernon will replace Nancy Maslach. Pahrump Veterans Service Officer Kenneth Shockley said Maslach had family commitments after she began work at the new Tonopah veterans office in May.

The proposal was to station Vernon in both Tonopah and Pahrump until the veterans caseload increases in northern Nye and Esmeralda counties.

But Nye County Commissioner Joni Eastley said not enough has been done to solicit veterans in need of care in that area.

"That position in Tonopah was designed to provide outreach," she said. "That means that person is on the road. They are on the road notifying folks of service delivery in Esmeralda County and all over northern Nye County. There are many opportunities for outreach to be done."

She said there have been times when services have been taken away from people in rural communities and a sign posted advising people to travel to Reno or Las Vegas.

"It's not acceptable to have a sign saying 'Please go to Pahrump,'" Eastley said.

Commissioner Candice Trummell joined in denying the proposal.

Trummell researched the Nevada Revised Statutes and found a law that allows counties to create offices for veterans. Trummell said the two commissioners then successfully lobbied the past Nevada Legislature for $300,000 to open veterans offices in Tonopah and Pahrump, to be manned by separate service officers.

Trummell said Pahrump suffers the same problem with Las Vegas.

"I'm on the Southern Nevada Workforce Investment Board. They're trying to take all the services and put them in Las Vegas," she said.

Shockley, a disabled U.S. Marine Corps veteran, defended the plan.

"My objective and goal was not to take that person away from Esmeralda and northern Nye County, it was to take him down for training and help my workload one or two days per week," Shockley said.

Eastley told him, "You're suffering from success and that's a good thing.

"The work hasn't been done to determine a full-time staff member isn't needed in Tonopah. There hasn't been any outreach done."

Vernon said he expects to move into his residence in Tonopah Sept. 7. He has four years of experience as a veterans service representative with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

That job included assisting veterans with benefit claims and filing appeals, securing awards, applying laws and regulations, disability compensation, death pensions, burial flags, loan guarantees, vocational rehabilitation and other work.

Vernon, a U.S. Air Force veteran, also lists three years of experience as a volunteer with the American Legion as senior vice commander. He has a bachelor of science degree in business technology.

Vernon, who didn't speak during the presentation, said afterwards, "I just want to help the veterans in this state. That's all that's important to me."