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Veterans commission presses for outreach, local vouchers and a VA veteran home
Summary
Michael Wilson, chair of the Commission on Veterans Affairs, told the committee the county should continue annual Housing Choice Voucher support, expand outreach so veterans can find benefits and pursue a VA State Veterans Home via a federal grant program; he cited a roughly 18% increase in the county veteran population.
Michael Wilson, chair of the Montgomery County Commission on Veterans Affairs, told the HHS committee the commission will prioritize educating veterans and their families about existing federal, state and county programs and advocating for services the county can fund where state or federal programs fall short.
"Our veteran population here in the county has grown approximately 18% since the last U.S. census," Wilson said, adding the commission estimates about 36,000 veterans now live in the county. He urged continued county support for Housing Choice Vouchers and for local referral services such as Servant Together and the Warrior Canine Program, which he described as an important resource for veteran recovery and training.
Wilson also said the commission will advocate at the state level to pursue a VA State Veterans Home in Montgomery County using the VA State Veterans Home Construction Grant Program; he noted the only Maryland veterans home is in Charlotte Hall, roughly an hour away, and called a local facility an important goal.
Councilmembers thanked Wilson and asked the commission to share known programs and promising initiatives—particularly those addressing behavioral health and suicide prevention—and to return with further details. The committee did not vote on any requests during the meeting.
