Veterans in York County, including Vietnam War veterans and recently returning veterans of other foreign conflicts, are receiving more state and federal money for special benefits.

Yorkers last year received the second-highest amount of veterans aid, falling behind one other county.

The money flows to servicemen and servicewomen through the York County Department of Veterans Affairs, which helped secure more than $5.1 million in benefits for the 2011-12 fiscal year.

Benefits increased by nearly a third, 31 percent, compared to the year before, according to figures recently released by the state's Department of Veterans Affairs.

Through the funding, the York County Department of Veterans Affairs provides medical help for duty-related illnesses and injuries and other compensation for which veterans are eligible.

Phil Palandro, director of the county department, said the increase reflects more assistance requests from Vietnam War veterans, primarily for service-related illnesses, as well as applications from veterans who have recently returned from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

York, which has about 40,000 veterans, fell behind Lehigh County, which secured more than $5.5 million for its veterans.

- Reach Christina Kauffman at ckauffman@yorkdispatch.com.