Duval delegation members are doing their best to help those who gave so much to keep Americans free and safe.
Senate and House budget committees are in accord to support two Five Star Veterans Center projects poised to benefit those who served their country but who now struggle with reentry to civilian life.
The House Health Care Budget Subcommittee and Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services conference aligned on allotting $500,000 to expanding the facility in the Arlington neighborhood that currently accommodates 40 vets, as well as $250,000 for the Homeless Housing and Reintegration Project.
Bringing the money home was a bipartisan effort championed by Senate Democratic Leader-designate Tracie Davis and Republican Sen. Clay Yarborough, as well as House Speaker Pro Tempore Wyman Duggan and Republican Rep. Dean Black.
Jacksonville, a place with a rich military tradition and multiple bases for many decades, is a place that service members gravitate to when they leave the armed forces.
It’s because of that appeal, in part, that the facility needs to be expanded beyond its current capacity, along with renovations to make sure that those who gave their health for the country can recover once their service is completed.
Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and related issues will benefit from the funding, as the center does its part to ensure, via behavioral health services, job support, and urine tests to ensure they stay off of illegal drugs, that they can integrate into the community at large.
Jobs are one part of the puzzle, of course. Housing is another.
The Homeless Housing and Reintegration Project includes on-site security, residential living expenses and behavioral health assessments.