Released this week, President Trump’s budget for fiscal year 2019 proposes an overall increase of more than $8.5 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Nicholas Armstrong is the Senior Director for Research and Evaluation at the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University. When it comes to the budget, Armstrong says we must ask ourselves – what else are we doing to integrate all resources to work together toward a common objective to care for vets?
Armstrong says:
“I’m not surprised by the planned increase for the Department of Veterans Affairs as part of the White House’s 2019 fiscal year budget proposal. In terms of understanding the cost associated with caring for veterans, it typically rises in the decades after a conflict and continues to rise three to four decades after the fact. The proposed increase reflected in the 2019 budget plan is the consequence of the accumulating costs associated with caring for the sacrifices made by service men and women over many decades.
“As it relates to the budget, the VA plays an absolutely essential role in providing veterans care and benefits. But caring for veterans is bigger than any one agency. There’s also an entire system of federal, state, and local agencies, nonprofits, colleges and universities, and private sector organizations that support veterans too. The broader narrative is that the VA should take care of everything. In reality, when a service member transitions to a community, there are an array of other services available to meet their needs. We have to ask ourselves – what else are we doing to integrate all of these resources to work together toward a common objective to care for vets? A broader conversation and national strategy would be helpful to make better choices on how resources are allocated.
“The military today is very much a family business. One of the best pipelines for future service members are the young men and women in military families. If we don’t care for veterans and their family members post service via an array of services and programs, not just the VA, it poses a risk to future recruiting and readiness of the force.”
To request interviews or get more information:
Daryl Lovell
Media Relations Manager
Division of Communications and Marketing
T 315.443.1184 M 315.380.0206
dalovell@syr.edu | @DarylLovell
820 Comstock Avenue, Suite 308, Syracuse, NY 13244
news.syr.edu | syracuse.edu
Syracuse University
For new and returning student veterans alike, learning about all the resources available as a student veteran here at Syracuse University (and online) can seem overwhelming. But all across campus, there are people here to help, available any time to…
Sept. 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, a global event to raise awareness that suicide can be prevented. According to the International Association for Suicide Prevention, over 800,000 people die by suicide annually, representing 1 person every 40 seconds. It…
As part of Syracuse University’s enduring commitment to veteran and military-connected students, the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) hosted a virtual welcome orientation prior to the start of the fall semester. Hosted on Zoom, the orientation included a…
In its fourth year as one of just 15 Pat Tillman Foundation University Partners, Syracuse University proudly announces Laura Buys ’18, G’21 as its 2020 Tillman Scholar. Buys is one of only 60 students nationwide to be awarded the prestigious scholarship….
In a small ceremony on the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 26, the flags in front of the National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC) at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello building were permanently raised by individual Syracuse University students, alumni and staff….
If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.
