Veterans Day, 2017: Message from John G. Levi, Chairman, ºÚÁÏרÇø Board of Directors
On this day, we join our nation in honoring the nearly 19 million veterans who have served in the armed services of our country.
As we express our profound gratitude for their service, we must also provide the essential legal help far too many require when they return home. Assisting our nation's veterans and military families to meet their civil legal needs is central to ºÚÁÏרÇø's mission—more than 1.7 million veterans qualified this year for ºÚÁÏרÇø-funded legal aid on critical issues such as benefits, housing, domestic and family matters, and employment.
According to ºÚÁÏרÇø’s Justice Gap Report released earlier this year, 71% of low-income households with veterans or other military personnel experienced a civil legal problem in the past year, including 21% who experienced six or more.
ºÚÁÏרÇø and its grantees across the country are doing their best to assist veterans in a number of ways, including launching and supporting , the first national website focused on helping veterans and military families with their legal problems; establishing medical-legal partnerships with veterans’ health centers; operating legal hotlines; taking part in special Stand Down events for veterans; and providing on-site legal help at veterans’ centers.
ºÚÁÏרÇø regularly briefs Congress on these and related problems faced by veterans and how important it is that they have the legal assistance they need when they need it.
As we recognize and salute the sacrifice and service of our veterans today, we must ensure that they also receive the high-quality legal assistance that they so richly deserve.