Veterans Day 2020 — Benefits, Housing, and Employment Resources

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walawlibrary

4 min readNov 11, 2020

Today we celebrate our nation’s men and women who served in the United States armed forces. Since 1918, November 11th has been set aside each year to recognize the sacrifices that these devoted men and women made to defend the United States and its residents. This year many observances at the state and national level will take place virtually due to the COVID pandemic. Some events that can be viewed from home are the traditional wreath laying at Arlington National Cemetery and Seattle’s Museum of Flight’s free online Veterans Day celebration.

Veterans can face many challenges after separation from service. Among the top issues that veterans find they need assistance with are veterans’ benefits and legal issues leading to or arising out of homelessness. According to the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, about 9.8 million veterans used at least one Veterans Administration benefit in fiscal year 2017. Use of benefits is on the rise for veterans despite the fact that the veteran population is declining.

There are many websites and organizations that vets can turn to when they need assistance with benefits. The U.S. Veterans Benefits Administration and Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) are the two government agencies that can provide direct assistance to Washington State veterans, including benefits information for special groups such as women veterans and LGBTQ veterans. StatesideLegal’s benefits page is a great place to find information about the many veterans’ benefits programs. There are also advocacy organizations such as Disabled American Veterans and The American Legion that provide benefits assistance.

While homelessness remains a real problem among veterans, the rate of veteran homelessness dropped sharply between 2009 and 2018. The risk factors for homelessness amongst veterans are varied and not well studied. Substance abuse and mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety disorders are just some of the factors that may lead to unemployment and homelessness. The current COVID-19 pandemic appears to be eating away at the progress of the last decade on veteran homelessness.

There are many U.S. Veterans Affairs (VA) programs designed to help veterans with the issues that contribute to homelessness. Assistance with matters such as military sexual assault and childcare that disproportionately affect women is available through the VA Center for Women Veterans. Child support obligations can also be a legal barrier to financial stability for veterans. Washington State’s Division of Child Support partners with the WDVA to provide assistance services for veterans who need them. Through their Access to Justice for Homeless Veterans initiative the American Bar Association is advocating for legislation that would allow the VA to fund legal support services for homeless veterans.

Employment programs are key to lifting veterans out of homelessness or keeping them in housing. The U.S. Department of Labor’s VETERANS.GOV is a suggested first stop for veterans and their family members who are looking for employment. The National Resource Directory is a great place to find employment resources at the national and local levels. Washington State specific employment resources for veterans include WorkSource Veterans Employment Resources and the Department of Social and Health Services Military Skills Translator tool.