The board of county commissioners of each county of the state of North Dakota shall appoint, employ, and pay, on a full-time or part-time basis, an officer to be known as a county veterans’ service officer. The veterans’ affairs commissioner may work directly with county veterans’ service officers. An individual may serve as a county veterans’ service officer in more than one county. The appointment must be made with the prior advice of the commissioner of veterans’ affairs, and in accordance with veterans’ preference as provided in section 37-19.1-02. All county veterans’ service officers must be accredited by the national association of county veterans’ service officers or the department of veterans’ affairs within twelve months of appointment or employment. It is the duty of the county veterans’ service officer to become acquainted with the laws, both state and federal, enacted for the benefit of returning servicemen and servicewomen to assist the returning members of the armed forces in the presentation, proof, and establishment of the claims, privileges, and rights members have. The county veterans’ service officer shall cooperate with and coordinate the activities of the state and federal agencies within the county the officer serves to facilitate their operation and ensure promptness in the solution of the problems concerned with the re-establishment of returning servicemen and servicewomen in civilian pursuits. A county veterans’ service officer may not    serve as a conservator for an individual receiving benefits or services from the department of veterans’ affairs or the United States department of veterans’ affairs, except if the individual is the spouse or an immediate family member of the officer.