Military, Veterans and Military Families

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As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Joe has the privilege of working on the issues that directly affect the security of our nation, our military and their families. He takes great pride in the role that Indiana National Guard, military installations, and suppliers have played in protecting our homeland, and protecting our men and women serving at home and abroad. Joe also sits on three subcommittees: Airland, Readiness and Management Support, and Strategic Forces.

Joe with Hoosier Servicemembers

Indiana has a proud tradition of serving our nation.  We have 65 Army and Air National Guard installations, with 14,000 service members.  We are the fourth largest National Guard contingent in the country.  Learn more about the Indiana National Guard here.

Improving Mental Health Screening & Services to Help Prevent Military Suicide

One of Joe’s primary focuses as a member of the Armed Services Committee is how to address the rise in military and veteran suicides. With more active duty members dying in 2012 as a result of suicide (349) than in combat in Afghanistan (229), Joe thinks that we must work to provide our troops with the mental health services needed to prevent suicide and aid servicemembers transitioning home or to civilian life.Supporting Military Families in Crisis

Joe’s first bill as U.S. Senator was the Jacob Sexton Military Suicide Prevention Act of 2013, which would establish a pilot program in each of the military services and reserve components to integrate annual mental health assessments into a servicemember’s Periodic Health Assessment (PHA) and identify risk factors for mental illness so that servicemembers can access preventative care.  Learn more about the Sexton Act here.

Joe is committed to honoring our nation’s veterans and improving the transition and health resources provided to veterans, especially working to reduce the backlog of disability claims and addressing processing times. Indiana has a long tradition of military service, and in the Senate, Joe is proud to recognize the contributions of Hoosiers to their nation.

Veterans History Project

The U.S. Armed Services has a rich history spanning generations of American servicemembers.

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Veterans often share their stories of battle, service, and comradery through spoken word or through original correspondence, photographs, and diaries, but too often their stories are not recorded. 

Joe wants to help preserve these stories and log them to the country’s national archive called the Veterans History Project.

Joe encourages all Hoosiers to get involved. For more information on how to submit your story or to learn about how to interview a veteran in your community, visit http://www.loc.gov/vets or call Joe’s office at 317-226-5555.

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