An analysis of Veterans Affairs records by McClatchy Newspapers and The News Tribune confirmed the high concentration of seriously disabled veterans in the Olympia-Tacoma area.
The thousands of disabled veterans living here after a decade of combat in the Middle East will leave their mark on the region for years to come.
Federal, state and community programs to assist disabled veterans must be ramped up to meet their physical, mental health and social service needs, as well as their need for jobs, job training and housing.
It will take a concerted effort by all to meet the challenge.
It’s no surprise that the South Sound region attracts disabled veterans after they leave military service. Many finish their military careers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Some have received medical care at the base’s Warrior Transition Battalion prior to leaving the service.
Once they return to civilian life, there is a network of Veterans Affairs clinics and hospitals in the Puget Sound region to help serve them.
But the demand for services outstrips the supply. Without an infusion of resources, the system will be overwhelmed.
As the Iraq War comes to an official close, it is essential that some of the funding used to support troops in the Middle East now be used to support the former troops back home.
The needs are many. For instance:
• Nearly 50 percent of all disabled veterans from past and present military conflicts said in a recent survey that their combat injuries keep them from holding down a steady job. Even those who can work are entering a tight job market.
That’s why targeted programs to hire veterans, including those who are disabled, are so critical in the private and public sector.
• Disabled veterans are disproportionately represented in the nation’s homeless population. About half of the homeless veterans are disabled.
The health and safety network for disabled veterans must be bolstered to keep up with the rising number of veterans coming home after serving their country with courage and conviction in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Roughly 4,000 disabled veterans call the South Sound region home. More are on the way. They are surely welcome here, but there’s more work to do to help them transition to civilian life.
