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SIERRA VISTA — An invisible population of veterans is living in the greater Sierra Vista area, many within the city limits, Mayor Bob Strain said Saturday.
And many in that population have, by chance or their own decisions, fallen through the social safety network, he said.
During a speech to the Greater Sierra Vista United Veterans Council, Strain talked about are veterans, many of whom suffer from medical and/or mental health problems and some of whom cannot bring themselves to address their woes, which segregates them from society.
Saying a local effort is being developed to reach out to veterans, Strain, a retired Air Force colonel, called upon veteran organizations and others to help fellow veterans, many of whom are homeless. The council includes veterans groups from throughout the county.
 Sierra Vista Mayor Bob Strain (Herald/Review file photo) |
“We have a fair share (of homeless people) here in this portion of Cochise County,” he said.
Many of the homeless, but not all, are veterans, he said.
Strain, the Rev. Shaun Buckhanan, pastor of the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, a representative from Fort Huachuca, and other local residents recently met with Gov. Janet Napolitano as part of a statewide task force to address issues with veterans and returning service members from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, many of whom are suffering from physical and mental health problems.
Strain said a local effort to address the issues is beginning and will include procedures to “educate, identify, assist and refer” veterans to find help.
To be successful, veteran service organizations must play a role, the mayor said.
Post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury are growing in numbers as soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines return from battlefields overseas, Strain said. Then there are veterans, such as those who served in Vietnam and other conflicts, who have problems that need attention.
But the problem isn’t the Sierra Vista area’s alone. It is one that’s throughout Congressional District 8, which includes all of Cochise County. The congressional district has the largest number of retired veterans, including those who are medically retired, in the state. And it accounts for the ninth largest number of such people out of the 435 congressional districts in the nation, said Shay Saucedo, who runs U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ Sierra Vista office.
A recent study by the Department of Defense of veterans who retired with 20 or more years of military service, or who were medically retired and receive pay for their conditions, broke down the numbers based on ZIP codes relating to the congressional districts.
According to the report, there are 15,290 veterans in the two categories who live in the Congressional District 8. That number does not include veterans who did not retire or do not receive VA or other military medical benefits.
Based on the 2000 census, the Arizona Department of Veterans Services states more than 20,000 people who live in Cochise County are military veterans.
Retired Marine Col. Bob White, who chairs the area veteran council, supports the developing program to help the invisible population of veterans needing help, and recommended service organizations become involved in the effort.
A meeting of the initial group will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, 227 N. Carmichael Ave.
“We need to do this (help),” White said.
SENIOR REPORTER Bill Hess can be reached at 515-4615 or by e-mail at bill.hess@svherald.com.
BY THE NUMBERS
The congressional districts where the greatest number of retired military veterans live:
• CD1 in Florida with 30,063
• CD2 in Virginia with 25,385
• CD1 in Virginia with 22,928
• CD5 in Colorado with 22,293
• CD11 in Virginia with 19,266
• CD21 in Texas with 18,769
• CD31 in Texas with 16,869
• CD4 in Virginia with, 15,850
Source: U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ Sierra Vista Office
Hereford Resident wrote on Aug 4, 2008 11:55 AM: