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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown
Honoring Ohio’s
Veterans
On Veterans Day, we pause to remember those who have fought to preserve
the rights we hold dear. This year marks the 60th observance of
Veterans Day and the 95th anniversary of Armistice Day, which
commemorates the end of the First World War. While the heroes of World
War I are no longer with us, we are grateful for their service and for
the service of the brave women and men who have followed in their
footsteps.
Despite their contributions to this nation, there are still veterans
struggling to find steady housing or to access health care. It’s our
duty to guarantee that they have a roof over their heads and the
benefits they deserve.
Last month, I traveled across Ohio to build support for legislation to
help veterans secure permanent housing. The bill would ease the
transition to stable housing; allow the VA to increase legal aid to
homeless veterans so they can receive help filing claims or getting
identification; and provide services for homeless female veterans and
their children – a population that is often underserved. We’ve made
progress in reaching the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) goal of
eliminating veterans’ homelessness nationwide by 2015 but there’s more
work to do to assist the 50,000 homeless veterans across the United
States.
We must also improve our veterans’ access to healthcare. Last August,
my colleagues and I on the veterans committee shaped legislation that
was signed into law to ensure accountability at the VA while improving
the delivery of health care provided to our nation’s veterans. Since
then, Robert McDonald, the new VA Secretary, has addressed the issue
head on and he recently announced a restructuring of the department.
Especially for veterans, comprehensive health care must include access
to mental health services. That’s why I introduced the MEMORY Act – to
require that unit commanders document events that individual service
members are exposed to which might later be connected to mild Traumatic
Brain Injury, Post-Traumatic Stress, or other injuries. This record
would help expedite veterans’ claims processing for disability and
other benefits.
I am proud to work so that Ohio remains a leader in serving those who
served us. Supporting veterans and their families is a top priority for
my office.
My staff and I remain ready to assist veterans, their families, and
their survivors access health care and disability benefits as well as
education and employment benefits support. We can also assist with
other actions, such as discharge reviews and awards replacement. If you
or someone you know needs any assistance, please contact my office
toll-free at 1-888-896-OHIO (6446) or visit my website.
Please join me in thanking the brave servicewomen and men who have
served, and in thanking their families who have sacrificed so much and
so often do not receive the thanks and appreciation they deserve.
Sincerely,
Sherrod Brown
U.S. Senator
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