New Commission Created to Help Wisconsin Veterans

Wednesday, April 27th, 2022 -- 12:01 PM

(WMTV) Nearly two-dozen people were tapped Monday to help develop a long-term, comprehensive plan to help the hundreds of thousands of Wisconsin veterans get help they may need for a wide range of challenges they may face.

“Right now, there are those who have served who don’t have a place to call home, who are struggling with mental health, and many who are still navigating the transition to civilian life. I’m proud of the programs we run here in the state, but we must garner ideas to reach more veterans who need help and plan for the next generation,” Dept. of Veteran Affairs Secretary Mary Kolar explained.

Kolar will serve as a co-chair of the state’s Blue-Ribbon Commission on Veteran Opportunity, alongside Dept. of Administration Secretary-designee Kathy Blumfield, who noted the sacrifices these men and women have already made to protect Americans both at home and abroad.

“It is now incumbent upon us to honor their service by ensuring they have pathways to employment, housing, health care and other vital services in the Badger State,” Blumfield said, adding that she is grateful for the chance to serve on the commission.

In addition to the two co-chairs, Gov. Tony Evers tapped twenty other individuals to round out the commission, which was announced during his State of the State Address and created through the executive order he signed soon afterwards.

In the statement that accompanied the list of appointees, Evers pointed out that he deliberately aimed to include veterans and their families who can draw from their own lives to find policies to help the over 300,000 Wisconsin veterans.

“From ensuring every veteran has a roof over their head to addressing mental health challenges to expanding access to benefits our nation’s heroes have so rightfully earned, we must work to find urgent solutions to the shortcomings in our society and in our state, and I look forward to seeing the commission’s report in the coming months,” he continued.

The commission will meet for the first time on May 4, and is tasked with completing its report later in the year, with the aim of getting its recommendations included in Evers next biennial budget proposal.

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