Providing Library Services for Military and Veteran Communities in Texas - Part Two
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Providing Library Services for Military and Veteran Communities in Texas - Part Two
Aaron Smith
Aaron Smith is a Veteran of the United States Navy and currently serves as the Community Outreach Liaison for the Texas Veterans Commission. His charter revolves around locating and building relationships with groups that provide services to Texas Veterans. As such, he spends a significant amount of time traveling across Texas to initiate dialogue with Veterans and Veteran Service Organizations while creating a comprehensive network of resources and referrals.
Perry Jefferies
Perry Jefferies served in the US Army for almost 25 years, retiring after a tour in Iraq. Today he manages the TexVet Initiative for the Texas A&M Health Science Center, connecting Texas military, veterans, and family members with resources that are important to them.
Texas Veterans
• Texas Veterans: 1,583,272 • Civilian Population: 18,612,749 • Percent of Texas that is Veterans: 8.5 %
• Veterans served:
– Gulf War II: 14.9 % – Gulf War I: 21.3% – Vietnam era: 35.1 % – Korean War: 9.6 % – World War II 6.6%
• By age: 18-34 yrs old: 11.0% 35-54 yrs old: 28.4 % 55-64 yrs old: 22.7 % 65-74 yrs old: 19.6% 75 yrs & older: 18.3 %
Texas Veterans
• By sex: 91.3 % Male / 8.7 % Female
• Average time served 6.2 years
• Veteran’s median income (2012 $): $39,807 compared to $25,032 civilian • Veteran educational status: Veteran Civilian
– Less than high school 7.4 % 20.6 % – High school graduate 24.4 % 25.4 % – Some college or ASSC 39.9 % 27.9 % – Bachelor’s degree or higher 28.3 % 26.0 %
VetPop (VA Veteran Actuarials)
Texas will outpace California in VetPop by 2019
2020: 1.64 Million 2030: 1.56 Million 2040: 1.47 Million
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2014 2020 2030 2040
Texas
California
Texas Military
• 17 Military Bases
• Over 125,000 military personnel
• Over 180,000 military family members
• Most military family members under 30
• Texas only completed National Guard Division
• Camp Mabry
Military installations in Texas Name Branch Location
Brooks City-Base Air Force San Antonio
Dyess AFB Air Force Abilene
Goodfellow AFB Air Force San Angelo
Lackland AFB Air Force San Antonio
Laughlin AFB Air Force Del Rio
Randolph AFB Air Force San Antonio
Sheppard AFB Air Force Wichita Falls
Camp Bowie Army Brownwood
Camp Bullis Army San Antonio
Camp Mabry Army Austin
Camp Stanley Storage Activity Army Bexar County
Camp Swift Army Bastrop County
Fort Bliss Army El Paso
Fort Hood Army Killeen
Fort Sam Houston Army San Antonio
Martindale Army Airfield Army San Antonio
Red River Army Depot Army Texarcana
JRB Fort Worth Navy Fort Worth
NAS Corpus Christi Navy Corpus Christi
NAS Kingsville Navy Kingsville
NS Ingleside Navy Ingleside
Corpus Christi Coast Guard Corpus Christi
Houston/Galveston Coast Guard Houston
VTS Houston/Galveston Coast Guard Houston
Air Station Corpus Christi Coast Guard Corpus Christi
Air Station Houston Coast Guard Houston
Search and Rescue Station Freeport Coast Guard Freeport
Search and Rescue Station Galveston Coast Guard Galveston
Search and Rescue Station Houston Coast Guard Houston
Search and Rescue Station Port Aransas Coast Guard Port Aransas
Search and Rescue Station Sabine Passs Coast Guard Sabine
Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur Coast Guard Port Arthur
VTS Port Arthur Coast Guard Port Arthur
Marine Safety Unit Texas City Coast Guard Texas City
Search and Rescure Station Port O'Connor Coast Guard Port O'Connor
SBS South Padre Island Coast Guard South Padre Island
Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base Multiple Houston
Some programs available
Levels of Support • Federal
– Basically the VA
– Is ultimately responsible for the dollars to support Veterans
– Funds to Texas Military Forces and the State Family Programs
• State – TVC, VLB, & TWC cooperate to make Texas an attractive place for
Veterans to live and work
– Work to leverage the most of Federal dollars owed Texas for Veterans’ efforts
• Counties & collaborations – County Veteran Service Officers
– Joining Community Forces
Levels of Support (II) • Membership driven organizations
– Generally national organizations with a legislative agenda that also sponsor fraternal-type activities and rely on member fees • VFW
• American Legion
• Disabled American Veterans
• Military Officer Association of America
• American Veterans
• Military Order of the Purple Heart
• National Military Family Foundation
www.TheMilitaryCoalition.org
Levels of Support (II) • Non-profits
– Span a wide gamut of services, interests, populations served, ability & funding levels
– Many existed but hundreds more sprang up in response to Operations Enduring & Iraqi Freedom and the TRIAD fund that offered millions of dollars to care for Texas Veterans
• TRIAD fund is now expended and many of the organizations compete for a much-limited amount of available funding
– TVC’s Fund for Veteran Assistance continues to offers certain organizations a funding stream but with much stricter guidelines
– Most have a certain interest area and many have strict limits on who they can serve
• i.e. Honorable discharges only or “visibly wounded troops only” – housing or “unmet needs”**
Levels of Support (II)
• Policy Organizations –Texas Coalition of Veteran Service
Organizations
–Meadows Foundation Texas State of Mind Veterans Initiative
Veterans Administration (federal)
National Cemetery Administration
Veterans Administration Secretary (Cabinet Post ) Sec. Shinseki
Veterans Benefit Administration
GI Bill
Vocational Rehab Schooling
My HealtheVet Refill Prescriptions Crisis Prevention Mental Health PTSD Public Health
Veterans Health Administration
Disability Compensation Pension GI Bill Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Vet Success Dependents' Educational Assistance Survivor Benefits Home Loans Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Insurance
Cemetery Services Burials Headstones & Markers Presidential Memorial Certificates Cemeteries Nationwide Gravesite Locator Burial Flags Burial Allowance
VA in Texas • VA is the largest bureaucracy in the nation
• VHA is split into Veteran Integrated Service Networks
– Directors of VISNs have wide latitude in how they operate and fund their VISN
• Texas is covered by 3 VISNs
– Only state with so many
– VISN 17 is the primary one
• Generally, the VA will not refer Veterans out of its network for services.
– Territoriality, legal liability, lack of quality control
• VA will solicit volunteers from VSOs and recreational volunteers – Wheelchair pushers, not professional services
New VA Initiatives
Simplified VA Regions
State of Texas Services (state)
• Texas Veterans Commission
– Claims officers statewide (assist Vets with filing for compensation and pensions • + provides training and certification for 300+ County Veteran
Service Officers
– Education division • Sets standards & provides training to “certifying officials” in all
colleges statewide (approves VA paperwork to underwrite college)
– Jobs division • Works with employers to match jobs to Veterans.
• Stations 170 employment specialists in workforce centers
State of Texas Services (state)
• Texas Veterans Commission
– Women Veterans Initiative
• Coordinate support with programs & agencies
• Advocate services for women Veterans
• Raise awareness
• Increase support
– Texas Veterans Entrepreneur Program
– Texas Veterans Claims Strikeforce
– TVC Healthcare Advocacy Program
State of Texas Services (state) • Texas Veterans Commission
– Fund for Veteran Assistance
• Raises and dispenses grants to organizations that provide direct services to Veterans
• Stringent requirements & accountability
– Has the lead on the Texas Coordinating Council for Veteran Services.
• Coordinates, reports, and recommends services provided by the state to the next legislative session. 3d session meeting now.
State of Texas Services (state)
• Texas Veterans Land Board
–A division of the General Land Office
• Makes low interest loans to Veterans for land, homes, home improvement
• Operates the state Veterans Homes
• Works with VA to operate the state Veterans Cemetery
– Operates 1-800-252-VETS (8387)
State of Texas Services (state)
• Texas Workforce Commission
– Texas Veterans Leadership Program
• …Job and life-coaching program for new Veterans
–Work in Texas job board
–College Credit for Heroes
• Texas Health and Human Services Commission
– Associate Commissioner of Veterans Services
– Department of State Health Services
• Supports the Military Veteran Peer Network and TexVet.
• Supports Cognitive Processing Therapies available at various LMHAs for Veterans (evidence-based treatment for PTSD)
• Supports the JDTR Program
– Other HHSC Programs
• Office of Acquired Brain Injury works with Vets and has developed a teaching program for law enforcement officers
• Texas Information & Referral Network (TIRN) or Texas 2-1-1 lists separate Veterans resources
State of Texas Services (state)
Texas ADRC Veteran Programs
Texas DARS Veteran Programs • The Department of Assistive
and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) is a state agency that provides services for Texans with disabilities. Veterans can find help learning new job skills, building confidence to live independently with a disability, and preparing for full participation in society.
County Veteran Service Officers
• Primarily handle claims
• May turn to MVPN for mental health issues for Veterans
• Appointed by county commissioners or judges
• 227 of 254 counties in Texas have an assigned CVSO
• Counties with more than 200,000 people are required by law to employ a full-time CVSO
• Can be trained and certified by TVC, but not always
• Larger counties may have larger staffs
• VCSOAT an association of these officers
County Veteran Service Officers
Community Collaborations --looking to volunteers to organize communities to support Veterans and consolidate services--
Partners
Across
Texas
ISFAC Joining Community Forces Community Covenant Alliance Development
Model
Community Blueprint
Level State Federal Federal Federal Federal NGO
Agency Executive Branch US Army US Army Points of Light https://www.jointservicessupport.org/
communityforces/
http://www.army.mil/community/ http://www.handsonnetwork.org/co
mmunity-blueprint
Funded? No No No Grants
Minimum
Standards
No No No Yes
Audience All veterans / new veterans US Army troops & families /
all veterans
US Army All with veteran focus
Areas of
Emphasis
Employment, Education,
Wellness, Engagement
Improve quality of life for
Soldiers
Information referral,
Family Programs,
Housing, Army Family
Team Building
Employment,
Volunteerism, Family
Strength, Financial &
Legal, Reintegration,
Housing, Education,
Behavioral Health
Texas Military Forces Family Program Office is mandated to use or participate in Joining Community Forces.
Joining Community Forces - Texas
Some collaborations • Jacksonville / Lone Star Military Resource
• Waco / Veterans Coalition for the Heart of
Texas
• Houston / Lone Star Veterans Association / US Vets
• San Antonio -- Bexar Area Agency on Aging, Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG), Alamo Service Connection and San Antonio Coalition for Veterans (SACV) work
• Seguin – Resource Centers
• North Texas Military Coalition / Operation Healthy Reunions
• Veterans Coalition of North Central Texas / VETCO
www.TexVet.org/JCFTexas
Some Major Veteran Service Organizations (VSO)
• VA Recognized organizations at: http://www.va.gov/vso/VSO-Directory_2013-2014.pdf
• Veteran of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) – Largest in Texas, has buildings and “posts” (chapters) in nearly every municipality.
– Membership driven – needs paying members to survive.
– Operates a military assistance program, making small grants to Veterans and families in financial straights (under $1000)
• American Legion – Second oldest VSO
– Similar infrastructure to VFW
– More open membership
– Makes grants to Veterans children under 17
Some Major Veteran Service Organizations (VSO)
• AMVETS, American GI Forum, Disabled Veterans America, Military Order of the Purple Heart Jewish War Veterans of the United States, Vietnam Veterans Association, American Military Retiree Association (AMRA), NCOA (Non-commissioned officers Association), Marine Corps League, and others are similar, with lesser reach in the state.
– Membership driven
– May have Veteran Service Officers available
– Individual posts may have services available
• National Guard Association of Texas (NGAT), AUSA (Association of the United States Army), Air Force Sergeant’s Association, Navy League, all smaller organizations, paid member-driven, professional organizations
– Membership driven
– Advocate for individual services or branches
– Some offering new or re-branded family programs
The New Guys
The New Guys
• Wounded Warrior Project has offices and provides programs (counseling, job preparation, recreation) in the state
The New Guys
• The Mission Continues • Service and Leadership oriented • Possible source of volunteers
– Team Rubicon • Disaster volunteerism
– Team Red, White, and Blue • Extreme Sports
– Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America
• National policies & events
The New Guys Lone Star Veterans Association (www.LoneStarVeterans.org)
• Houston based
• Growing across state
The New Guys Operation Homefront (www.operationhomefront.org)
The New Guys South Texas Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans (http://staiva.ning.com/)
• Laredo area based
The New Guys
Overwhelming
VA & Federal Resources
State of Texas Services (state)
• Texas.gov/Veterans portal – Refreshed 2014
– Links to Texas Veterans Services
TexasConnects.org
www.TexVet.org
»Social
»Local
»Mobile
»Curated
»Documents Collaborations
Texas Veterans App
• VA Crisis & Women’s Hotline
• Texas Veterans Portal
• 1-800-252-8387
• MVPN voicemail
What can I do?
• Suggest that Veterans and supporters download the Texas Veterans app
• Create a Veteran space with computer & references
• Join community collaboration in your town
• Request a Mission Continues fellow
• Offer to host meetings of VSO
• Offer space to MVPN volunteers
Your Hometown
• Veteran Service Organizations Posts
• Churches
• County Veteran Service Officer
• Texas Workforce Center
• MVPN Peer Volunteer Coordinator
Where to start
Contact
(512) 341-4924 [email protected]
TexVet.org
/TexVe
t
/TexVe
t (800) 252-8387 [email protected]
www.TVC.state.tx.us Texas.gov/veterans MilVetPeer.net
/TexasVeteransCommission
/TexasVeterans
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