Eye On Illinois: Positive indicators, but our governments can do better for those who served

Monday is Veterans Day, which used to be an opportunity to ask readers barreling toward Christmas to pause to remember more than just Thanksgiving.

But after a couple decades beating that drum, and seeing a resurgence in programming and observances in schools and communities – a coincidence for which I seek no credit – it seems awareness of Veterans Day isn’t a significant concern.

Whether we properly care for people who served the country the other 365 days this year is a different issue.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said Illinois was home to 552,775 veterans in fiscal 2023, about 4.5% of the state. Of those, 55,299 are women. All but 118,800 served during an active war. More than 46% of Illinois’ veterans are age 65 and older. Illinois counts for a bit more than 3% of the nation’s veterans.

In Illinois 4,390 veterans get a government pension, 119,722 are on some level of disability compensation, there are 17,374 education beneficiaries and 247,140 enrolled in the federal veterans health care system.

Then there’s the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, which employs more than 1,200, most of whom are tasked with making sure the state’s veterans get the benefits to which they are entitled.

In fiscal 2023, according to its annual report, the agency conducted 18,282 in-person and 49,342 telephone interviews to prepare 17,607 applications for state and federal benefits for veterans, dependents and survivors. That yielded $8,820,500 in claim awards, a staggering 155% increase from fiscal 2022 – and that year was already up 38% compared to 2021.

“We are proud to report that veteran homelessness is down 28% in just the last two years,” said Terry Prince, director since April 2021. “IDVA also joined the ‘Governors Challenge’ to prevent and end veteran suicide by recruiting up to 70,000 health care workers to participate in suicide prevention training.”

The state also operates five veterans homes providing skilled nursing and memory care, with space for up to 1,134 veterans and eligible spouses and widows. The homes in Quincy and Anna can take a few dozen veterans who don’t need skilled care, and the Prince Home in Manteno has 15 beds for veterans who are otherwise homeless.

The $3.5 million Deceased, Disabled and MIA/POW scholarship program helped 1,513 students at state schools, which absorbed the additional $2,943,327 in tuition and fees. The lottery scratch ticket program, which begins its cycle in December, raised enough money to disburse 17 grants totaling $1,098,223. To read details about those and other programs, visit tinyurl.com/IDVA2023.

These are all positive indicators, but our governments can and should do better by veterans. While saluting service is appropriate and important, proper care is a permanent commitment backed by legislation, oversight and investment.

• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Local News Network. Follow him on X @sth749. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.