I would like to first thank the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance & Memorial Affairs for holding this hearing today and providing the opportunity to testify on this extremely important issue.  I'm here on behalf of the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs, of which I am a member.

Each year state governments spend more than $4 Billion to support our nation's veterans and their families.  Collectively, we are second only to the federal Department of Veterans Affairs in providing benefits and services to the men and women who defended our nation.  Although each state is unique, with its own traditions, programs, and resources, we are united by our common goal to make a difference in the lives of our veterans.

The members of National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs bring together the best of all states and territories. We work together to find real solutions to the common problems we face, and the pooling of expertise and knowledge allows our organization to serve as a resource for each state, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Congress.

We all know that at this point, over six years into the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is a need to increase awareness among veterans about the benefits that are available to them.  These are benefits that they have rightfully earned and deserve. We need to use every tool possible to ensure that they know about what benefits are available to them and their family members.

Outreach is the key, especially with the returning veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom who have young families and are facing plenty of challenges when they return home.  Educating them about their benefits through outreach and reaching them right now is essential to their future wellbeing.

As a veteran of the Iraq war, an advocate for fellow veterans, and the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs, I can assure you that we are in dire need of additional resources at the state level to reach the new generation of veterans and to maintain communication with previous generations.  Specifically our aging Vietnam veterans who are retiring or are reaching retirement age and have increasing healthcare needs.

Most of the states have the capability and infrastructure to increase outreach but need the resources to do it.  The members of National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs would like to Congress pass a federal grant program to provide outreach to veterans regarding available benefits, programs, services.  We strongly believe that outreach grants should be provided through the state veterans’ agencies [S. 1314].

Let me explain how this would work.  In Illinois, we have 73 Veteran Service Officers (VSOs) who are trained and certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs to assist veterans, their families and their survivors in completing applications for state and federal benefits.   They are located in 51 offices throughout the state of Illinois.  These Service Officers are a part of the community and in the communities already, so they have the ability to reach veterans in ways that the federal government cannot.

The Veteran Service Officers work in conjunction with the federal government because they are trained and certified to assist veterans in applying for federal benefits.  In addition, there are state benefits that they make veterans aware of that are especially helpful to them and their family members.  So, increasing funding for outreach through the states would give veterans the opportunity to find out about and take advantage of their state and federal benefits.

Like many states, Illinois is extremely generous in state benefits.  These benefits include additional compensation, education, healthcare, housing, burial, employment, real estate, and permits.  They also assist incarcerated veterans due for release.  They do not, however, recruit veterans into any of the veterans’ organizations.

If the federal government invested in that structure of veteran service officers currently existing in the states and in communities across the country, they could provide the successful outreach that is needed to assist these veterans.  A federal grant program can provide outreach to veterans regarding available benefits, programs and services.  Again, we strongly believe that outreach grants should be provided through the state Veterans’ agencies.

We also firmly believe that the states ability to educate veterans on federal benefits would be greatly enhanced if the federal Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Department of Defense would share information with the states about when the veteran comes home.  This information would allow states to better serve the veteran on their arrival or soon thereafter.

For example, when a service member returns from Iraq or Afghanistan, the State of Illinois does not know that he or she has returned to the state unless they enter one of our offices or we are contacted  by another government entity.  It is often when a veteran has already had some type of issue that we hear from them instead of having the ability to reach out to them beforehand.

For example, if a recently returned veteran of the war in Iraq is having trouble dealing with the symptoms associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, he or she might self medicate with alcohol.  If that veteran is drinking and driving and is pulled over for a DUI, we will hear from the State Police first, before we can tell that veteran about the assistance that might be available for symptoms of PTSD, like the VA helpline or the Illinois Warrior Assistance Program.  That is a sign of a broken system.

If the federal government shared information about returning and existing veterans, it would greatly increase our collective outreach capabilities because the states can assist in getting these veterans their federal benefits.  As you know, states already have plenty of programs in different areas that allow for sharing of information with the federal government. 

Currently, in cases of the veteran population, the federal government will share information when they are entering our veteran nursing homes.  As part of that information sharing with the federal government, the states are regularly inspected and audited.  These are procedures that states are already familiar with and complying with on a regular basis.  This should reassure the Department of Veterans Affairs that the states are willing and capable to adhere to any federal privacy of data regulations.   

If the federal government shared information with the state when a veteran returns home, we would increase the outreach capabilities for the federal government and assist the veteran in making a smoother transition back to civilian life. 

Again, I would like to thank the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance & Memorial Affairs for holding this hearing today and the opportunity to testify on this extremely important issue.  The members of National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs will continue to work together to assist our nation’s veteran population in every way possible.

Thank you.