SACRAMENTO
– Leading California veterans’ organization are calling on Governor Newsom to
reopen the state’s veterans’ posts and halls that have been closed since March
due to the pandemic. In a letter sent to the Governor last week, members of
the California State Commanders Veterans Council (CSCVC) highlighted the
important role these posts serve in connecting veterans to essential services
and benefits such as healthcare, mental health services, education, and job
training.
Despite
providing these essential services to veterans, veterans posts are still not
eligible to open because they are classified as bars. The CSCVC believes that
veterans’ posts have been mistakenly categorized as bars under California’s
reopening guidelines due to the fact many of the posts hold a restrictive,
membership-only veterans’ liquor license. This classification puts veterans’
posts at the back of the line for reopening, and puts access to services
further out of reach for many veterans.
"California’s
veterans’ posts play a critical role in connecting our state’s veterans with
the benefits and services they need. They also aid homeless veterans, connect
veterans dealing with depression and PTSD to counseling, and provide meals for
disabled and homebound veterans. The closure of our posts has had a direct and
negative impact on the ability of veterans’ service officers to help our
veterans,” said Ed Grimsley, State Commander, American Legion, Dept. of
California.
Veterans’
posts provide a necessary support structure for California veterans. Posts have
trained veterans service officers who help veterans navigate and apply for
benefits they are entitled to due to their service to our county. These service
officers provide assistance to veterans and their dependents in preparing and
submitting claims for benefits such as health care and mental health services;
education, job training and retirement benefits to name a few. Since the posts
have been shutdown, there has been a decrease in claims for veteran disability
and pension benefits.
"From
March to September, the VFW Service Department saw a drop of over 850 veterans’
claims – a decrease of $2.2 million owned to veterans and their families for
their service. Our posts are not halls with bars, but rather hubs within our
communities providing a wide range of essential programs and services to help
veterans of every generation. Posts’ closures have had devastating impacts on
our ability to provide vital assistance to veterans, especially in rural and
smaller communities,” said John G. Lowe, State Commander, Veterans of Foreign
Wars, Department of California.
Reopening
posts safely will restore access to essential services upon which California
veterans and their families rely. CSCVC is requesting that posts be allowed to
reopen so long as they comply with ABC and county health restrictions,
regardless of the status of the counties in which they are located.
"We
recognize and appreciate the hard work the Governor has done to lead us during
this unprecedented health crisis. At the same time, we believe our posts
provide essential services and were not intended to be categorized in the
executive order the same as bars. Our organizations are ready and willing to
work with the Governor on a plan to safely reopen our posts for veterans soon,”
said David Black, State Commander, AMVETS, Dept. of California.
About the California State Commanders Veterans Council
(CSCVC):