Nancy Stutman
On Sunday, March 20, Jewish War Veterans (JWV) Copper State Post 619 welcomes Navy combat veteran Dee Person who served during Operation Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. Tune in to learn about the Arizona Coalition for Military Families and Person’s role as manager of their Be Connected community engagement program. The meeting begins at 10 a.m. MST.
The link to join the online Zoom meeting is tinyurl.com/yefjmejx. Speaking to Arizona veterans and their families, Person tells them, “You are important to us because you raised your right hand when your nation, state, and community needed you. Equally important to us is your overall well being, because we want you and those you love to have a meaningful and fulfilling life.”
This is where Arizona Coalition’s successful Be Connected program enters the picture.
According to Col. James P. Isenhower, III, former Special Assistant to the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, “The Arizona Coalition for Military Families has become a national treasure.”
Life stressors affect us all. Veterans, especially, may be experiencing stressors in areas like basic needs, employment, family and social support, finances and benefits, higher education, housing and homelessness, legal, mental health and substance abuse, physical health, and spirituality.
To help connect veterans to the thousands of available possibilities, key stakeholders from the two primary healthcare systems, the VA and Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AZ’s Medicaid Agency), Department of Veterans’ Services, the Arizona Coalition for Military Families, and TriWest HealthCare came together in 2017 to create the Be Connected program. This robust, Arizona-grown, nationally recognized effort has helped over 60,000 service members, veterans, and their families get connected to the right resource, service, or benefit at the right time.
The Be Connected support line, 866-4AZ-VETS (866-429-8387), is available for any Arizona service member, Guard and Reserve members, veterans, their families, and caregivers. This is a statewide support line offered at no cost that is answered by an Arizona-based team that specializes in providing resources and support for veterans, people in the military, and anyone who supports them.
Jewish War Veterans is the oldest active national veterans’ organization in continuous operation in America, with more than 400 posts around the country. Members and nonveterans represent a wide range of religious affiliations. Support is provided to Arizona veterans of all religions and beliefs.
For more information, visit CopperstatePost619.com. Meetings feature speakers focused on supporting veterans. For additional information about JWV activities or membership, please contact Jr. Vice Commander Elliott Reiss at 480-802-3281 or [email protected].