Blake Ortnerⁱ

On November 11^th, the U.S. will celebrate Veteran's Day, a time to honor the men and women that have served and continue to defend this country, both at home and abroad. October 7th, 2005 marked the four-year anniversary of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and nearly three years have passed (March 19th 2003) since Operation Iraqi Freedom commenced.

According to an article in the Boston Globe by Raja Mishra , only one in ten U.S. troops injured in Iraq has died, the lowest rate of any war in U.S. history. Due to significant advances in medical technology, more soldiers are surviving wounds and injuries that in past conflicts. The picture is a grisly flipside improvement of battlefield medicine that has saved many combatants. U.S. troops injured in Iraq have required limb amputations at twice the rate of past wars and as many as 20% have suffered head and neck injuries. The Army reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that 17% of all of the returning soldiers screen positive for post-traumatic stress disorder, which can be a problem that pops up weeks or months after serving in combat. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, as of last July, 30,000 soldiers from Iraq had shown up at Department of Veterans Affairs health care facilities, and one out of every five has been diagnosed with some sort of a mental problem.

Rather than seeing the significant numbers of newly disabled veterans as a tragedy, many of the rights afforded to people with disabilities in the U.S. today have been, in part, due to the advocacy of returning injured soldiers. At the conclusion of World War I, thousands of veterans returned from the battlefields of France and began rebuilding their lives. Many faced difficulties as a result of their military service and looked for help from the United States Government that had sent them to war. They did not get a favorable response and there was a great deal of criticism on how veterans were treated.

The federal government decided it would not repeat that mistake and recognized the need for programs to help those returning from World War II, both to thank them for their service and to better prepare them for a return to civilian life. Many programs were put in place to support these returning veterans, particularly those disabled during the war. These programs also helped revitalize America. They included home loan guarantees and the G.I. Bill which helped build the American middle-class. They have continued over the years and new programs helping veterans returning from the wars have been updated for a different kind of America.

Veteran Service Organizations

Government agencies continue to improve programs through the urging of Veterans Service Organizations (VSO) that monitor government programs and advocate for greater benefits for veterans. A directory of VSO is available online at http://www1.va.gov/vso/.

Small Business Administration

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has created programs to encourage veterans, particularly those with disabilities, to establish their own businesses. Though many changes have occurred due to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people with disabilities still face challenges in the workplace. The ability for a disabled veteran to be his or her own boss greatly increases their self-reliance and capability.

Additionally, the SBA provides outreach opportunities to assist disabled veteran small business owners with seeking government contracts. Though these can be very competitive, it is a clear effort to assist the veteran business owner. Other programs include the 7(a) Loan Guaranty Program for those who have difficulty getting business loans. Although SBA does not make loans directly, the SBA guarantee often makes banks more willing to lend.

In addition, SBA provides programs to teach disabled veterans through Veterans Business Development Offices to plan and prepare their business. To find the representative in your area, see http://www.sba.gov/VETS/reps.html.

The Veterans Business Outreach Program (VBOP) provides business training, counseling and mentoring. Though these services are available, it is still up to the veteran to have a sound business plan and make the business successful.

For more information of a variety of grant and loan programs, see the SBA's Business Opportunities section at http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html.

See EQUITY's Tip of the Month article for information about the Disabled Businesspersons Association's Veterans Business Resource Center (VBRC).

Department of Veteran Affairs

Other opportunities for disabled veterans to build assets are found in the VA home loan program. This well-established program provides veterans the chance to own a home with little or no upfront money at a competitive rate and the loan partially guaranteed. VA guaranteed loans are made by private lenders such as banks, savings and loan associations, or mortgage companies. To get a loan, veterans apply to the lender. If the loan is approved, VA guarantees the loan when it is closed. The guaranty means the lender is protected against loss if the owner fails to repay the loan, which encourages the lender to make a loan with terms favorable to the veteran.

• To buy a home.

• To buy a townhouse or condominium unit in a project that has been approved by VA.

• To build a home.

• To repair, alter, or improve a home.

• To simultaneously purchase and improve a home.

• To improve a home through installment of a solar heating and/or cooling system or other energy efficient improvements.

• To refinance an existing home loan.

• To refinance an existing VA loan to reduce the interest rate and add energy efficiency improvements.

• To buy a manufactured (mobile) home and/or lot.

• To buy and improve a lot on which to place a manufactured home which you already own and occupy.

• To refinance a manufactured home loan in order to acquire a lot.
  http://www.homeloans.va.gov/veteran.htm

Another VA program that may be especially beneficial for disabled veterans is the Specially Adapted Housing Program. Veterans that have specific service-connected disabilities may be entitled to a grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs for the purpose of constructing an adapted dwelling or modifying an existing to meet the veterans needs. The goal of the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Program is to provide a barrier-free living environment, which affords the veterans a level of independent living he or she may not normally enjoy. There are two different grant programs- one for individuals with mobility impairments and another for those with visual impairments. http://www.homeloans.va.gov/sah.htm

Department of Labor

The Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) at the Department of Labor can help disabled veterans get jobs and training. This occurs through veterans outreach representatives in state employment offices. Since 1995, the Department of Labor, Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) and the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) have been involved in a joint initiative to improve the way vocational rehabilitative services are provided to disabled veterans.

Outcomes indicate that the number of disabled veterans finding suitable employment through the combined effort increased consistently. A recent report released by State Workforce Agencies demonstrated that the level of obtained and sustained employment rates among disabled veterans is competitive in many states to those individuals without disabilities . Largely due to the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (also known as WIA Plus), enhanced, integrated service delivery has equaled better jobs for veterans and better employment outcomes than can be achieved by a single program. Today, the goal for employment of veterans in the specialized veterans programs is that less than two-thirds of program participants will gain employment. The actual entered employment rate for employment and training programs under WIA is significantly higher - 81% for the Dislocated Worker Program, with a retention rate of 89.2%. Information on the many resources available to get veterans into the workforce, seek entrepreneurial opportunities or get training can be found at the e-VETS resource advisor.

The challenges facing disabled persons are great. Disabled veterans often face a double-edged sword with challenges from their disabilities as well as possible problems associated with their military service. Many programs are in place to help build a new and better life. These opportunities can provide veterans the ability to help overcome disabilities and become a more successful contributing member of society, which is not only good for the veteran…but good for us all.

i Blake Ortner is an Associate Legislative Director for Paralyzed Veterans of America representing PVA to Congress and federal agencies including the Department of Labor, Office of Personnel Management, Department of Defense, HUD and the VA. In addition, he is PVA's representative on issues such as military deployment health, veterans' entrepreneurship, homeless veterans and coordinates issues with other Veteran Service Organizations. He also often serves on special projects such as disability advisor for the dedication ceremonies of the Korean War Veterans Memorial.

He has served as the Chair for the Subcommittee on Disabled Veterans (SODV) of the President's Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities (PCEPD) and as a member of the Department of Labor's Advisory Committee on Veterans' Employment and Training (VETS) and the Veterans Organizations Homeless Council (VOHC).

A native of Moorhead, Minnesota, he attended the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis on an Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship, graduating in 1983 with an International Relations degree. He was commissioned as a Regular Army Infantry second lieutenant stationed at Ft. Lewis, WA. Following service with the 9th Infantry Division, he became a member of the Army's Special Operations elite 2nd Ranger Battalion.

He continues his military service as the battalion commander of 3-116th IN, Virginia Army National Guard. He served 9 months on peacekeeping missions to Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2001 and returned in August 2005 from a 1 year deployment to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).

Mr. Ortner resides in Stafford, VA and is married with two children.

ii Mishra, Raja. "Amputation rate for US troops twice that of past wars: Doctors cite need for prosthetics as more lives saved" Boston Globe December 9, 2004,
http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2004/12/09/amputation_rate_for_us_troops_twice_that_of_past_wars?mode=PF

iii Charles W. Hoge, M.D., Carl A. Castro, Ph.D., Stephen C. Messer, Ph.D., Dennis McGurk, Ph.D., Dave I. Cotting, Ph.D., and Robert L. Koffman, M.D., M.P.H. "Combat Duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Mental Health Problems, and Barriers to Care" New England Journal of Medicine, Volume 351:13-22. July 1, 2004. Number 1.

iv WIA Fact of the Day. March 18th, 2005. http://www.doleta.gov/Job_Training_Reform/Mar_18_Answer.cfm
State Level Employment Outcomes for Veterans and Disabled Veterans, dol.gov/vets/programs/State_Data_Intro.pdf