Island County will join with all Washington counties in the creation of regional coalitions to address a rising population of veterans in crisis.
The number of veterans in crisis will continue to rise, according to Island County Veteran Services Coordinator Gerald Pfannenstiel.
Roughly 26 percent of post-9/11 veterans have a service-connected disability compared to only 14 percent of the total veteran population, Pfannenstiel said.
Veterans ages 18 to 30 are more than twice as likely to be homeless compared with non-veterans of the same age. In addition, the number of homeless women veterans has increased 141 percent between 2006 and 2010.
“As a result of the myriad of challenges already here and/or on the immediate horizon, we must be compelled to meet these challenges with as much firepower as we possibly can; we owe them that much,” Pfannenstiel told commissioners last week.
The local coalition comprises Island, San Juan, Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish and King counties.
Island County has the largest veteran population per capita in the state.
Island County Veterans Services provides emergency financial assistance, case management and other supportive services to indigent veterans and their dependents. Financial assistance may consist of paying for rent/mortgage and/or utility bills that may be in arrears or at risk of being shutoff.
The office provides vouchers for food, fuel, work specific clothing and/or school clothing and supplies for dependent children. We also provide assistance with Department of Veterans Affairs claims for compensation, pension, health care and all other VA claims.
To qualify for financial assistance the veteran must:
* Have served under Honorable or General under Honorable Conditions.
* Show an original or certified copy of a DD-214 or, if discharged prior to 1950, a Certificate of Discharge.
* Have been a continual resident of Washington State for one year immediately prior to application and a resident of Island County at time of application.
* Be able to provide proof of their identity and documentation of eligibility of dependents
* Be indigent or have income at 150 percent of poverty level.
To contact the coordinator for veterans services, please call or email Gerald Pfannenstiel at 360-678-7805 or G.Pfannenstiel@co.island.wa.us
