Veterans and Service Members
I am humbled and inspired every day by the patriotism and dedication to duty that resides in the hearts of men and women who choose to serve in our nation’s Armed Forces. The duties of military service are not easy and often require long, strenuous hours of work in difficult situations. These brave men and women and their families have made significant personal sacrifices and we should always thank them for their service.
The Sixth District of Kentucky is home to many decorated war service members and veterans. Our heritage of courageous warriors dates as far back as the Kentucky Minutemen in the Revolutionary War, and our community’s brave men and women have engaged in every U.S. military conflict since. We are proud of our local service members and I will always do my best to stand up for them, and all of our nation’s veterans, to ensure that their voices are heard in Washington.
In order to best represent our service members and veterans, I have joined many congressional caucuses that advocate on behalf of our military. I am a proud member of the National Guard and Reserves Components Caucus, the USO Congressional Caucus, and the National Guard Youth Challenge Caucus, the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus, the House Army Caucus, and the Congressional Veterans Job Caucus. I have also signed a letter addressed to President Obama, requesting that he take direct action and involvement in ending the current Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability claims backlog. I will continue working to reduce the VA’s shameful disability claims backlog, striving to improve the Department of Veteran Affairs services, fighting to maintain military retirement benefits, aggressively helping to improve job opportunities and housing assistance for veterans, and promoting earned education benefits to deserving active military and veterans among his many initiatives in Congress.
I know many former servicemen and women face many challenges, and they deserve the best and most timely services available. If you or a loved one are a veteran having trouble with a VA disability claim, an issue with receiving service medals, or any other related problem, please contact my Lexington district office at (859) 219-1366. Caseworkers there are readily available to help you.
I also hope you will consider joining our Sixth District Veterans Coalition, which we have formed to help raise awareness about matters of concern to the broader veterans community.
My office sent out a survey and we encourage all veterans to take it as a way for us to hear directly from veterans across the district, including those who are in rural areas and travel to Lexington for care.
Thank you to those who have already returned our survey, and I encourage all veterans to fill the survey out online or call my office with their input. If you know a veteran who would like to fill out the survey, I hope you will pass on this information.
For links to additional resources for Veterans, please click here.
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More on Veterans and Service Members
LEXINGTON – Congressman Andy Barr announced today that his office will host a Military Academy Day for Sixth District students interested in applying to one of the nation’s service academies. The event will be held on Saturday, September 13th at the Aviation Museum of Kentucky from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, with registration beginning at 9:30 AM.
America’s freedom is only possible because of the sacrifice and bravery of our veterans and servicemen and women. However, recent reports of gross mismanagement and falsified data records at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), coupled with an utter lack of accountability at the agency, denies our heroes the care they have more than earned.
This is unconscionable and completely unacceptable.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Andy Barr welcomed the support of Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) who signed on as a cosponsor his legislation, H.R. 3775, the bipartisan Karen Tufts Military Sexual Assault Victims Empowerment Act, or the Military SAVE Act. As a member of the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus, Congresswoman Sinema has been an advocate for survivors of military sexual assault and ensuring access to care for our veterans.
WASHINGTON – Congressman Andy Barr welcomed the support of Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) who signed on as a cosponsor his legislation, H.R. 3775, the bipartisan Karen Tufts Military Sexual Assault Victims Empowerment Act, or the Military SAVE Act. As a member of the Hawaii Army National Guard, Congresswoman Gabbard served two tours of combat duty in the Middle East and has been a strong advocate for military justice reform on behalf of survivors of sexual assault.
WASHINGTON - Congressman Andy Barr praised the passage of the Veterans Access to Care Act of 2014, saying:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Andy Barr voted today to enforce new accountability standards for the Department of Veterans Affairs, saying:
“America’s freedom is only possible because of the sacrifice and bravery of our veterans. However, recent reports of gross mismanagement and falsified data records at the VA, coupled with an utter lack of accountability at the agency, denies our heroes the care they have more than earned.
"This is unconscionable and completely unacceptable.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Andy Barr (KY-6) announced today that seven young men and women in the Sixth Congressional District that have received appointment offers to four of the United States Service Academies.
On Wednesday, April 9, 2014, Congressman Andy Barr had the opportunity to testify before the House Armed Services Committee in support of Kentucky's Active Duty, Guard, and Reserve components, as well as Kentucky veterans to help ensure they receive the equipment and support they deserve.
Thank you for your willingness in taking time to complete this survey. The information you provide is extremely valuable in our quest to help bridge the communication divide between the medical component of the VA and Sixth District Veterans.