Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency | SEONewsWire.net

Detroit named worst city for veterans to live in

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2016 11:13:15 +0000

Detroit, Michigan, received the worst overall ranking in WalletHub’s list of the most veteran-friendly cities in the United States in terms of standard of living. The consumer finance site compared 100 of the nation’s most populated cities against 18 criteria including housing affordability, employment growth, health facilities and the number of homeless veterans.

Irvine, California, topped the list as the most livable city for veterans. It earned an economic wellness rank of 1 and an environment, education and health (EEH) ranking of 23. EEH evaluates the size of the veteran population and the effectiveness of Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals.

Detroit ranked 100 for economic wellness and 98 for EEH. The city’s low ranking was attributed to an overall high level of unemployment in the state for both veterans and the general population of nearly 10 million. Michigan is home to around 700,000 veterans. According to University of Michigan professor Joshua Kay, the large number of veterans makes it difficult for them to access resources.

Michigan is working to reduce unemployment among veterans. In November, the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency recognized the state’s 37 veteran-friendly employers. The companies have offered around 1,000 well-paying jobs that allow veterans to utilize their military skills and experience. In addition, a bill has been proposed to provide Michigan veterans with grants to help them earn a science, technology, engineering or math degree at one of the state’s public universities or community colleges.

The WalletHub report highlights the overall need to focus on improving employment opportunities, housing and health care for veterans across the country. Upon return from military service, veterans often face challenges adapting to civilian life due to issues such as unemployment, homelessness and lack of mental health care.

Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC fights for veterans rights. We fight to make sure you get the benefits you deserve from the Department of Veterans Affairs. To learn more or contact an attorney about your Post Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury, Mental Health, Sexual Assault, Hearing Loss and Tinnitus, Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability, Medical Malpractice, or Aid and Attendance claim, visit http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com/ or call 800.693.4800

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Detroit named worst city for veterans to live in

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2016 11:13:15 +0000

The post Detroit named worst city for veterans to live in first appeared on SEONewsWire.net.

Michigan to make 12 state parks available to veterans for fireworks-free Fourth of July

admin — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 18:28:54 +0000

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced on May 13 that it will make 12 state parks available to veterans in the state during the Independence Day holiday period of July 3 through July 5 for a celebration free of fireworks.

The policy, known as the Fireworks-Free Fourth of July, is the result of a partnership between the DNR and Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. While officials do not guarantee that fireworks will be set off near the state parks, they are hoping that there is enough distance between urban areas and the green spaces to make sure that the mood, as well as atmosphere, will remain on the low-key side in the parks.

“While fireworks are a traditional Fourth of July festivity, some veterans and others prefer a calmer celebration with a little less excitement,” said DNR Parks and Recreation Division Chief Ron Olson. “We are pleased to honor our veterans and offer that opportunity in several of our beautiful state parks.”

Michigan is home to 658,469 veterans, according to the most recent statistics compiled by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

A list of the 12 state parks covered by the policy can be found at the DNR website.

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Michigan Veterans Not Using Services

admin — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 09:00:28 +0000

Michigan has a significant concentration of resident veterans – around 700,000. However, in December, it was revealed that Michigan also has the lowest percentage of veterans who utilize benefits and services available to them.

According to a report released by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, only 142,260 veterans use services available to them such as health care and education resources. This number accounts for just 20% of Michigan’s veteran population.

So why aren’t more Michigan veterans taking advantage of these services and opportunities?

The disparity can be partly attributed to poor information and lack of an organized method for distributing information about these programs. With no central database for this information, many veterans aren’t even aware of the benefits available to them. Additionally, the disparity is partly due to a shortage of trained and on-staff service officers necessary to meet the needs of the growing number of veterans leaving the armed forces and taking up residence in Michigan.

In an effort to increase communication and awareness of these available programs, the Veterans Affairs Agency has launched pilot programs in Wayne County and Grand Rapids. Part of these programs include increasing staff levels to generate demand.

If you are a veteran and have questions about what benefits you are entitled to, contact the experienced professionals at Legal Help For Veterans. Our team of lawyers and professionals are experts on veteran benefits and can help you get the help you need. Contact us at 800-693-4800 or online at www.legalhelpforveterans.com.

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Michigan Finally Steps Up for Veterans

admin — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:57:54 +0000

The 2014 budget, which still needs Snyder’s signature, includes $1.5 million to improve a program connecting veterans with jobs.

After years of neglect, Michigan veterans’ issue in the public policy realm are being adequately addressed.

“By and large, the veteran issues for many years haven’t had a champion,” said Rep. Harvey Santana, a Democrat from Detroit who served in the Navy.

His Republican colleague and fellow veteran Greg MacMaster, of Kewadin, agrees: “The state wasn’t as friendly to veterans, and now we’re turning that around.”

A veterans’ agency was created by Gov. Rick Snyder with a cabinet-level director. Additionally, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are pushing a number of bills aimed at assisting those who served their country.

“I’m very happy to see that there’s been a change of heart. It appears that the legislature is more in tune to the needs of veterans now,” said Doug Williams, legislative affairs chairman for the American Legion Department of Michigan.

“The governor views it as a special duty and responsibility to ensure that we’re connecting our veterans with education and employment opportunities as well as their veterans’ benefits and services,” said Snyder spokeswoman Sara Wurfel.

Last month, Reps. Santana and David Knezek announced that they are leading a Democratic task force to identify ways to better serve veterans. They will travel the state and speak with veterans to identify the biggest areas of concern, and turn those into legislation.

Michigan has historically failed in serving its veteran population, which ranked 11th largest nationwide in 2010. The latest estimates by the federal government peg the state’s veteran population at more than 680,000 as of September 2012.

In 2010, Michigan ranked dead last for per-capita utilization of federal veterans’ benefits. The state showed a slight improvement last year, rising to fourth-lowest. State veterans affairs officials warn that the report is deceiving because it includes high-cost capital expenses for VA centers or federal settlements with other states.

Post 9/11 veterans in Michigan faced an unemployment rate of 29.4 percent in 2010, the highest in the U.S., according to the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee. That rate lowered to 14.4 percent in 2011 and 6.8 percent in 2012, but the JEC notes that the relatively small veterans’ population makes it difficult to compare unemployment rates across states and over time.

The 2014 budget, which still needs Snyder’s signature, includes $1.5 million to improve a program connecting veterans with jobs. It would link the federal Hero 2 Hired(H2H) program with the state’s online job portal to help translate military occupational terms to comparable skill sets for civilian positions.

“Veteran interviews with human resources departments sometimes are like an English as a second language interview, because there’s such a disconnect with acronyms, jobs, duties, responsibilities,” said Jeff Barnes, Director of the freshly minted Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency.

Michigan is the first state to link H2H with a separate workforce development program; it should be fully operational within a year.

The state struggles with attracting veterans to use the GI Bill to pay for higher education or vocational training, even though schools like Central Michigan University and Ferris State University are recognized as being military and veteran friendly.

Christopher J. Berry is an elder law lawyer in Michigan Dedicated to helping seniors, veterans and their families navigate the long-term care maze. To learn more visit http://www.michiganelderlawattorney.com/ or call 248.481.4000

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