Serving our country through the military is a great honor and our soldiers deserve to be treated with utmost respect. That is why I often write about the importance of supporting and honoring our military personnel.
As I have noted in the past, many soldiers find it painfully difficult to adjust back into society upon their return from service. Some may experience physical handicaps, others may have financial burdens and some may struggle emotionally or psychologically. Regardless of the situation, there is a great need for veterans to be connected with the services that can be most beneficial to them.
A few years ago, the Arizona Department of Veterans Services opened an office in Chandler to serve the veterans of our community. Two Veteran Benefit Counselors are available to provide claims assistance, guidance on securing discharges, referrals to other agencies and information about federal and state benefits. The office is located 3130 N. Arizona Avenue #114 and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. For more specific information, you can call (480) 558-2052.
The annual Military and Veterans Benefit Expo sponsored by the City of Chandler and the Arizona Department of Veterans Services is also set in place to connect veterans with the services they need. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 20, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave. Dozens of service providers will be available to promote programs and address questions.
One of the agencies on hand at the Benefit Expo will be Operation Freedom Bird. The nonprofit organization was founded in 1988 by Patrick Lynch, a pilot and decorated Vietnam veteran, to offer trips to memorial sites in Washington, D.C. Combat personnel who experience post-traumatic stress disorder can receive counseling and be selected to travel on the healing journey to pay tribute to fallen heroes and share memories in a supportive setting.
Over the years, I have become familiar with Operation Freedom Bird’s impact on veterans. I have heard powerful testimonies of soldiers who have started to heal from their traumatic experiences, which sometimes occurred decades ago. It is a true privilege to support this organization’s mission. Like many other nonprofit organizations, Operation Freedom Bird is funded solely by donations. Two fund-raising events are scheduled annually to cover the cost of transporting and accommodating the selected veterans. A “Heroes Breakfast” is set for Friday, Sept. 21, at the Crowne Plaza San Marcos Resort in downtown Chandler. And on Saturday, Oct. 6, there is a golf tournament scheduled in Sun City.
More information about these events can be found online at www.operationfreedombird.org or by calling Pat Lynch at (602) 284-7431.
Many other worthy organizations will be present at the Military and Veterans Benefit Expo on Oct. 20. I encourage all military personnel to attend and take advantage of these services. As a past member of the U.S. Air Force and Arizona Air National Guard, I wholeheartedly support efforts to assist fellow service members and their families. We should never forget the sacrifices of those who died in combat and remain committed to ensuring that those who have served receive the benefits they need and deserve.
Matt Orlando is an elected Chandler City Council member.
ralpho posted at 2:55 pm on Thu, Sep 20, 2012.
One way to do that would be to make sure all vets get the same benefits end the if you served between this date and that date you get X.
If you can prove its getting harder to wipe your as s with no hand as you get older you get a benefit bump. Does that sound sane to you.
David Lucier posted at 8:29 am on Fri, Sep 21, 2012.
Thank you for your words of support for our Veterans, Military personnel and their families.
I, too, am a Veteran. And I am working to establish Arizona as the most Veteran supportive state in the nation. We have to go beyond "lip service" and "bake sales" to accomplish this mission.
We will advocate, initiate, and integrate comprehensive public policies and private projects by operating a statewide enterprise which focuses on Arizona Veterans, service members, and their families in the areas of education & training, job & economic opportunities, and health & wellness.
Arizona is home to over 600,000 Veterans, over 20,000 active duty military personnel, and about 14,000 National Guard and Reserve personnel as of 2011. The US Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that an additional 1,000,000 Veterans will be transitioning to civilian life over the next five years. The Arizona Department of Veterans Services estimates that 100,000 of those Veterans will be coming to Arizona.
Economically, financially and socially, what's good for Veterans and Military personnel is good for the State of Arizona. VA expenditures alone infuse in excess of $2 billion annually into the Arizona economy. Our military bases and defense contractors infuse another $10 -12 BILLION per year into our economy as well.
A small example is that we need more Veterans Benefits Counselors (VBCs). These are the people who reach out to our Veterans, analyze their benefits and aid the Veterans in making their benefits claim, which help support our Veterans with the basic goods and services they need: food, clothing, housing and transportation.
If we invest in our Veterans by using our enterprise based models in education, jobs and wellness, Arizona will reap the social, economic and financial benefits now and for generations to come.