Tag Archive for: veteran suicide prevention

Military Appreciation Day Live: Guard and MDVA at the State Fair

Military Appreciation Day Live: Guard and MDVA at the State Fair

On this week’s episode of Minnesota Military Radio, we air the second of two special shows recorded live from Dan Patch Park on Military Appreciation Day at the Minnesota State Fair. This conversation highlights Minnesota’s commitment to Veterans, the dual mission of the Minnesota National Guard, progress at the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA), and modernization across the Minnesota Air National Guard.

Guests:

During the show, the Governor looks back on treating Veteran issues first in the state budget through the Veterans omnibus bill, with broad legislative support year after year. That approach has helped Minnesota keep Veteran homelessness among the lowest in the nation, open more State Veterans Homes than any other state, and sustain nationally recognized State Veterans Cemeteries. Care for those who served is framed as keeping faith with people willing to do the hardest things — and as work that should stay out of political debate. He also speaks to Veteran suicide prevention and the danger of assuming someone is “fine,” including the lesson of Clay Hunt and the need for families, friends, and fellow service members to point people toward help.

We also take a closer look at the Minnesota National Guard on a day themed “Your Neighbors, Our Community.” Service members are teachers, coaches, and neighbors who live here, work here, and serve here. Soldiers and Airmen are deployed around the world and recently supported wildfire response in northeastern Minnesota and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The force remains strong at about 107 percent on the Army side and about 104 percent on the Air side. Modernization is tied to readiness, including C-130J aircraft expected next summer at Minneapolis–Saint Paul and a continued effort to position the 148th Fighter Wing for F-35 fighters. Leaders invite the next generation to join a team that offers education benefits, state and federal missions, and the chance to serve close to home.

Commissioner Brad Lindsay of MDVA reports the three newest State Veterans Homes hit a 70 percent census goal by July 1 and are now aiming for 90 percent by year’s end so Veterans on the waiting list can receive care. Beginning January 1, National Guard and Reserve members who did not previously qualify may be buried in Minnesota’s state cemeteries if they choose, a change expected to matter especially near Camp Ripley in Little Falls. After the federal process to declare functional zero for Veteran homelessness ended, MDVA is working with the Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness so Ramsey County can still be recognized for meeting the criteria. The department has also staffed community health navigators and is executing a statewide Veteran suicide prevention plan. Veterans and families can start with LinkVet at 1-888-LinkVet or LinkVet.org.

In the final segment, Minnesota Air National Guard leaders connect new aircraft to homeland defense, federal missions, and Minnesota’s partnerships with Norway and Croatia. As C-130J aircraft arrive, some career fields will shift into maintenance, the loadmaster field, or retirement under a plan already being shared with the formation. Looking ahead, they point to cyber capabilities and air-based air defense as missions the Air National Guard must stay in. The through line is the citizen Airman: a neighbor most of the week, in uniform when called, serving 100 percent of the time.

Through collaboration among the Governor’s office, the Minnesota National Guard, MDVA, and the Minnesota Air National Guard, Minnesota continues to treat care for Veterans as shared work — visible on Military Appreciation Day and carried out year-round across the state.

Next week we’re back in the studio to visit with the director of the Twin Cities Vet Center and learn how Vet Centers fit into the Department of Veterans Affairs and take care of those who have served.

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Inside the American Legion: Veteran Support, Advocacy, and Leadership

Inside the American Legion: Veteran Support, Advocacy, and Leadership

This week on Minnesota Military Radio, host Doug Wortham sits down with leaders from the American Legion to discuss Veteran support, advocacy, leadership, and the organization’s ongoing impact at the national and local levels.

Guests include:

Listeners will hear about the American Legion’s four pillars — Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism, and Children & Youth — and how Legion posts across Minnesota and the nation serve as cornerstones in their communities. The conversation also explores key initiatives including the Legion’s Be The One campaign to reduce Veteran suicide, legislative advocacy on behalf of disabled Veterans, and programs that provide direct assistance to Veterans and their families.

The episode also highlights:

  • The American Legion’s role in Veteran disability claims and advocacy
  • Efforts to reduce the stigma around mental health
  • Support for Veterans through Minnesota’s Fund 85
  • Preparing for America’s 250th anniversary
  • Why Legion membership matters for strengthening Veterans’ voices
🎧 Listen to the show:
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2025 Legislative Year in Review – Bipartisan Wins for Veterans & Looking Ahead to 2026

2025 Legislative Year in Review – Bipartisan Wins for Veterans & Looking Ahead to 2026

In this year-end legislative wrap-up, host Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Doug Wortham sits down with key leaders to reflect on major accomplishments for Minnesota veterans in 2025 and priorities moving into 2026.

The episode features insightful conversations with:

  • Senator Aric Putnam (DFL-St. Cloud, Chair of the Veterans Subcommittee) – Discussing funding boosts for veterans homes, expanding Meals on Wheels for Greater Minnesota, addressing food insecurity, protecting veterans from predatory “claims sharks,” and future ideas like farm-to-veterans programs to support aging vets and local farmers.
  • Representative Matt Bliss (R-Pennington, Veterans Committee member) – Highlighting the creation of a dedicated veterans omnibus bill process, increased focus on homelessness and suicide prevention (a top priority amid rising rates), family involvement in mental health support, and bipartisan collaboration to keep politics out of veterans’ issues.
  • Governor Tim Walz – Praising the unanimous passage of veterans funding (including new homes, cemeteries, National Guard bonuses, and hunting/fishing license benefits), progress toward ending veteran homelessness, executive actions on food insecurity, and the importance of separating veterans issues from broader partisan debates.

Key 2025 Highlights Discussed:

  • Historic funding for veterans homes to staff new facilities and reduce waitlists.
  • Expanded efforts on food insecurity and home-delivered meals.
  • Strong progress on veteran homelessness (nearing functional zero in most counties).
  • Emphasis on suicide prevention, family support, and eliminating stigma around seeking help.
  • Bipartisan approach: Veterans issues handled first, with no partisan bickering—resulting in real wins like retention bonuses keeping Minnesota competitive nationally.

Looking to 2026:

  • Continued focus on suicide prevention, food programs, and claims protection.
  • Potential supplemental funding to offset federal cuts (e.g., domiciliary care).
  • Codifying successful initiatives into law for long-term stability.
  • Gratitude to veterans, families, and caregivers—no one serves alone.

This episode showcases how Minnesota continues to lead in supporting those who served—through collaboration, empathy, and putting veterans first.

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Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs: 2025 Year in Review & Vision for 2026

Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs: 2025 Year in Review & Vision for 2026

This week we kick off our annual series of Year-in-Review shows with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs. In a full-hour conversation, the Commissioner, Brad Lindsey walks us through the major accomplishments of 2025 and lays out priorities for 2026, including:

  • Three new State Veterans Homes now open and serving residents in Preston, Montevideo, and Bemidji
  • Minnesota reaching functional zero on veteran homelessness in nine of ten continuums of care (only Ramsey County remains)
  • Community Health Navigators deployed to hospitals statewide as part of expanded suicide-prevention efforts
  • Launch of a new veteran food-insecurity program in partnership with Disabled American Veterans and the Minnesota Veterans Food Pantry
  • Continued aggressive hiring and in-house training for healthcare staff at all eight veterans homes. Click here to learn more
  • The official State Veterans Day ceremony now rotating to different regions of Minnesota each year
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