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.

aaron.smith@tvc.texas.gov

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.

perry@texvet.org

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 II6.6%

• 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 %

60.6%

959,128 Veterans

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 Million2030: 1.56 Million2040: 1.47 Million

2014 2020 2030 20400

0.5

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1.5

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TexasCalifornia

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 TexasName Branch LocationBrooks City-Base Air Force San AntonioDyess AFB Air Force AbileneGoodfellow AFB Air Force San AngeloLackland AFB Air Force San AntonioLaughlin AFB Air Force Del RioRandolph AFB Air Force San AntonioSheppard AFB Air Force Wichita FallsCamp Bowie Army BrownwoodCamp Bullis Army San AntonioCamp Mabry Army AustinCamp Stanley Storage Activity Army Bexar CountyCamp Swift Army Bastrop CountyFort Bliss Army El PasoFort Hood Army KilleenFort Sam Houston Army San AntonioMartindale Army Airfield Army San AntonioRed River Army Depot Army TexarcanaJRB Fort Worth Navy Fort WorthNAS Corpus Christi Navy Corpus ChristiNAS Kingsville Navy KingsvilleNS Ingleside Navy InglesideCorpus Christi Coast Guard Corpus ChristiHouston/Galveston Coast Guard HoustonVTS Houston/Galveston Coast Guard HoustonAir Station Corpus Christi Coast Guard Corpus ChristiAir Station Houston Coast Guard HoustonSearch and Rescue Station Freeport Coast Guard FreeportSearch and Rescue Station Galveston Coast Guard GalvestonSearch and Rescue Station Houston Coast Guard HoustonSearch and Rescue Station Port Aransas Coast Guard Port AransasSearch and Rescue Station Sabine Passs Coast Guard SabineMarine Safety Unit Port Arthur Coast Guard Port ArthurVTS Port Arthur Coast Guard Port ArthurMarine Safety Unit Texas City Coast Guard Texas CitySearch and Rescure Station Port O'Connor Coast Guard Port O'ConnorSBS South Padre Island Coast Guard South Padre IslandEllington 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 HealtheVetRefill PrescriptionsCrisis PreventionMental HealthPTSDPublic Health

Veterans Health Administration

Disability CompensationPensionGI BillVocational Rehabilitation & EmploymentVet SuccessDependents' Educational AssistanceSurvivor BenefitsHome LoansLife InsuranceTraumatic Injury Insurance

Cemetery ServicesBurialsHeadstones & MarkersPresidential Memorial CertificatesCemeteriesNationwide Gravesite LocatorBurial FlagsBurial 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 NGOAgency 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.

ALL the SAME Model !

Joining Community Forces - TexasSome 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 / VETCOwww.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 GuysLone Star Veterans Association (www.LoneStarVeterans.org)

• Houston based• Growing across state

The New GuysOperation Homefront (www.operationhomefront.org)

The New GuysSouth 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 ContactUs@texvet.org

TexVet.org

/TexVet/TexVet(800) 252-8387

aaron.smith@tvc.texas.govwww.TVC.state.tx.usTexas.gov/veteransMilVetPeer.net

/TexasVeteransCommission

/TexasVeterans