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Tsongas: US must help veterans on and off battlefield

HAVERHILL — The event was new, but the message was the same — military veterans need help finding homes and services such as counseling.

The Haverhill Rotary Club held its first Veterans Day Awards Breakfast on Thursday at the Haverhill Country Club. Congresswoman Niki Tsongas spoke about the need for Congress to further support troops in the field and veterans returning to civilian life.

Tsongas said veterans need help avoiding homelessness and suicide, two problems that have repeatedly plagued former military members.

Tsongas, senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, joined Rotary members, local officials, and local veterans and their families at the event.

Tsongas said that when returning home from the military, local veterans bring skills and military experience, which they can apply in a variety of ways to strengthen the workforce.

As a member of the Armed Services Committee, Tsongas said she has dedicated her efforts to ensuring troops have the necessary resources to remain safe, effective and elite.

"We in Congress need to continue to pursue legislation to support our service members and their families," she said. "For example, we need more focus on the integration of female service members – an ever growing population in the military – who are now able to serve in any occupational specialty, including combat positions."

To better protect female service members on the battlefield, Tsongas said this year’s defense bill requires the Army to begin planning to provide women with personal protective equipment specifically designed for them, and sets an ambitious goal to lower the weight of body armor by 20 percent.

Tsongas said that since she was elected to Congress, significant steps have been taken to support veterans, including increased funding for veterans programs and passing a modernized G.I. Bill that made it possible for every Iraq and Afghanistan veteran to pursue a college education.

"Additionally, the bill overhauls the VA’s current appeals process for benefit decisions, giving veterans dissatisfied with the VA Regional Office’s initial decision several options for further review," Tsongas said. 

Tsongas said that in 2015, her office helped about 180 veterans, service members or members of their families, and helped veterans of the receive more than $600,000 in awards, compensation and pensions.

"I am proud of the work we have done in Congress and the work being done here in Massachusetts to support our service members, but so much more needs to be done," she said. "We in Congress need to continue to pursue initiatives that provide clear avenues to employment for veterans."

Targeting homelessness, suicides

Doing more means ensuring veterans' access to quality health care, eliminating homelessness among veterans and combating a staggeringly high number of veteran suicides, she said.

"Every day, approximately 22 veterans commit suicide around the United States and the problem may in fact be spreading to the family members of service members," Tsongas said. "When it comes to tackling suicide and issues of mental health, information is critical."

She said it is important to recognize patterns and warning signs, so they can be addressed earlier and more effectively. 

"That’s why I introduced the Department of Defense Suicide Tracking Act, which was signed into law last year," she said.

Tsongas said the measure will help the Department of Defense in its efforts to halt suicide among service members and their loved ones before they transition to the VA.

"I have continued to work on the issue this year with my colleague from Massachusetts, Rep. Seth Moulton," she said. "We authored legislation that requires the Secretary of Defense to work with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to develop a methodology that measures rates of suicide and attempted suicide within the services."

"Bottom line – we need more information to better understand veteran and military suicide, which will allow us to take effective steps and to provide the appropriate mental health services so sorely needed,"Tsongas said. "Service in a time of war is a life-changing event demanding our community’s and our country’s understanding and a long-term commitment to supporting returning soldiers as they transition to a civilian life.

"On Veterans Day and every day, I know I’m not alone in extending my commitment and my heartfelt thanks to all our service members and their families," she said.

John Ratka, executive director of Veterans Northeast Outreach Center in Haverhill, said about 30 veterans attended the breakfast and expressed great interested in what Tsongas had to say.

Ratka said Tsongas has done much to combat homelessness among veterans. Providing homes is one of the missions of Ratka's organization. It has built dozens of apartments in Greater Haverhill for veterans and their families.

 

Read more here: http://www.eagletribune.com/news/haverhill/tsongas-us-must-help-veterans-on-and-off-battlefield/article_e8423e98-5903-5427-980b-f7558ebd4a6f.html