In an American Legion meeting hall milling with dozens of Prince Georges County residents who dedicated their lives to serving their country, few knew there were three local offices they could visit to get help with employment, social services and finance.
Thats because, somehow, many of the approximate 70,000 veterans in the county are not getting access to the information or help they need, said Lonnie Bryant Jr. of Capitol Heights.
The primary issues Im seeing [among county veterans] is homelessness, claims and benefits and the medical support they require and they need, said the 36-year Army veteran. Youve got too many homeless veterans walking around with no place to go.
Bryant, a commander with the National Association of Black Veterans, was one of around 50 veterans who attended a Jan. 22 focus group headed by the Prince Georges County Commission for Veterans at the American Legion Post 275 in Glenarden.
The meeting was the last of three held in the county over the past month to assess the needs of county veterans and gauge interest in a county-level department of veterans affairs. The recurring theme throughout the evening was not just a desire for more vet-specific services in the county, but increased awareness of and access to those services.
There are a lot of things we dont know, but no one is telling us, said veteran Frank Braswell, 72, of Bowie. Homelessness, jobs, things like that are [the biggest issues for county veterans]. Its things theyre entitled to.
Other concerns raised were affordable housing, mental health services, support for veteran-owned businesses and aid for homeless veterans.
Army veteran Henry Turner of Upper Marlboro oversaw the focus groups as a county consultant and said participants were overwhelmingly in support of a Prince Georges County office of veterans affairs to help inform and support the veteran population.
Weve been at war for 13 years, we now have hundreds of thousands of veterans who are leaving the military, Turner said. The veteran population is increasing. They need transition back into civilian employment, they need to live somewhere.
Henry Turner said he and the veterans commission will assemble community feedback from the three focus groups and present the findings to Prince Georges County officials, who will make the final determination about an office of veterans affairs.
The veteran population is a population that normally has jobs, normally pays their taxes, dont get arrested and dont get in trouble, Turner said. It makes all the sense in the world to want to have your communities filled with individuals who are reliable.
