Veterans Affairs (VA) is looking for significant feedback from veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors for a Federal Advisory Committee on the proliferation of benefits. The VA is seeking people willing to speak in 3-minute public comment slots both in person and virtually, or willing to provide written statements for a more in-depth analysis.
Topics on the docket for this meeting include the Survivors’ Assistance and Memorial Support Program, Veterans Health Administration, the Office of Survivor Assistance, and the Veterans Benefits Administration. Anyone with feedback to give in these areas is encouraged to sign up via the information on the flyer.
The discussion over Veteran benefits has been a long-ongoing bipartisan issue. For many veterans, the struggle to be approved for disability or for families to receive benefits for loved ones lost in combat is well documented. Regardless of party affiliation, taking care of those who served and fought for our country should be above debate, yet many military families are frustrated with the system.
According to the American Community Survey conducted by the Census Bureau in 2022, Oregon is home to upwards of 250,000 veterans, the majority of which served in Vietnam or the Gulf War. This figure has declined by over 20% in the last decade, yet still makes up 7.4% of the adult population of Oregon, above national average. 36% of Oregon veterans have a disability, more than double that of the non-veteran population.
According to that same study, 9.2% of those veterans are living below the poverty line, with another 4.2% unemployed. The veteran population has been steadily decreasing across the country as less people have enlisted year on year. Despite that fact, Oregon is one of only three states to see an increase in homelessness among veterans.
Directed by the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Oregon Housing and Community Service, a Joint Report on Veterans Housing Programs was presented to the House Interim Committee on Veterans and Emergency Management in December, 2023.
According to this report anywhere from 1,400 to 2,200 veterans are experiencing homeless in Oregon on any given night, with at least 57% of them unsheltered.
“No person who has served our nation should experience housing instability or homelessness, but research indicates that veterans are more likely than nonveterans to experience homelessness, although the disparity is decreasing. Veteran homelessness is not isolated to the state’s urban centers; in fact, the rate of veteran homelessness in rural Oregon is quickly outpacing rates in metropolitan areas,” states the Joint Report.
The VA should be hearing the stories of these veterans and their families as often as possible. The value of personal testimony should not be undervalued by either those giving or receiving the statements. Measures to help abate the suffering in the veteran community, if successful, can serve as a helpful guideline for the government in the areas of homelessness, addiction, and mental health as they pertain to the general population as well as veterans.
Those with a story to tell or feedback to give, should look to sign up by April 29, 2024.
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