News Release — Missouri Veterans Commission

For Immediate Release Contact: Daniel Bell, Public Information

February 1, 2010 573/751-3779

Missouri’s Veteran Partnership Presents Listening Post Report to Governor Nixon

JEFFERSON CITY – Governor Jay Nixon today was presented with the final report detailing the findings from 21 Veterans Listening Posts that were held in Missouri by Missouri’s Veterans Partnership.

The Veterans Partnership, comprised of the Missouri Veterans Commission, American Legion, AmVets, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), benevolent organization Marine Parents, and supporting organizations of the Missouri National Guard, Missouri Military Preparedness and Enhancement Commission, and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, travelled throughout the State of Missouri in September and October of 2009 hosting Listening Posts to hear what Missouri’s Veterans had to say.

Realizing that by working together created a stronger voice for Veterans than working individually, the partner organizations used the listening posts to assess the needs and concerns of Missouri’s Veterans, hearing from nearly 1,500 Veterans and their family members. Even with a broad spectrum of Veterans of different ages, eras, genders, urban, and rural areas, there were common issues that came out of the Listening Posts. The report details these concerns and issues by looking in three areas: what was learned from Veterans, what was learned from Focus Issue Speakers, and what was learned looking in the mirror. The report also provides several general recommendations were made to better serve Veterans, Deployed and Active Duty Service Members and their families.

“We want a dialogue with all our Veterans across Missouri and believe that by holding these forums around the state, we’ll get the maximum input,” said Commission Executive Director Larry D. Kay, “By knowing the needs and concerns of our Veterans we can better serve them in the future.”

Key findings in the report were: Knowledge of all available state and federal benefits is a primary concern of all Veterans and their families, there are concerns about access to benefits, and newer Veterans are interested in benefits, but tend to not seek out Veteran Service Organizations, Veterans Service Officers, or others for assistance.

Four recommendations outlined in the report were: Creating a guide of Missouri’s State Veterans Benefits to be distributed; a Veterans Outreach Task Force needs to be established by the Missouri Veterans Commission, U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, and the Veterans Service Partners to coordinate outreach strategies; and a Joint Veterans Benefits Task Force between the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, the Missouri Veterans Commission, the Veterans Service Partner Grants recipients also needs to be established to coordinate and streamline Veterans Service Officer training and claims submission; and legislative action is needed on the Veterans Commission Capital Improvement Trust Fund to maintain the fund’s solvency.

The Listening Post Report will be available online at the Missouri Veterans Commission website at http://mvc.dps.mo.gov/Administration/Reports/Reports.html.

The Missouri Veterans Commission operates seven State Veterans Homes, five State Veterans Cemeteries, and the Veterans Services Program. The Commission is committed to honoring and serving Missouri’s Veterans whose dedication and sacrifices have preserved our nation and its freedoms. For more information about the Missouri Veterans Commission programs, call 573-751-3779 or access the Missouri Veterans Commission webpage at www.mvc.dps.mo.gov