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WV veterans center to open

Peoria Independent - 6/5/2017

Peoria is home to more than 13,000 veterans and that population is expected to grow, especially with Luke Air Force in the West Valley.

Transitioning to life after the military comes with road bumps, as data shows many veterans who served after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, have experienced difficulties readjusting to civilian life, according to the Pew Research Center.

But help is on the way with the Maricopa Community College District'sVeteran Success Project, which aims to transition veterans and their spouses from active duty to civilian life with job and educational opportunities.

"What we are doing is changing the model," said Steve Yamamori, vice president of Veterans Initiatives for the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation. "We are actually training and hiring veteran service specialists who act as outreach and case managers to help folks holistically, where they are in life and where they want to go and put together a test plan to allow them to understand where they want to go. We will work with all community resources to help them on their path."

A one-stop veterans support center is underway in the West Valley with a remodeling of a building at Luke Air Force Base. The college district opened an East Valley Veterans Education Center in Tempe about four years ago.

A soft opening for the West Valley center is scheduled for June or July with a grand opening planned for September, Mr. Yamamori said.

The goal is to raise $14 million for the endeavor with $2.5 million coming from 11 West Valley communities. The communities have been asked for a pledge, the size of which reflects the percentage of veterans living in their boundaries.

So far, nine of the 11 communities have committed funding, according to Mr. Yamamori.

Peoria has agreed to give one-time funding in the amount of $20,000 to the project through the General Fund Grant Program, city spokeswoman Jennifer Stein said, adding the group is eligible to apply for the grant every year. The Foundation has requested $300,000 from the city.

"The city looked at it very carefully and thought that would be too big a commitment at this time, $50,000 a year for five years," said Councilman Bill Patena, the city's liaison with Luke AFB. "We thought $20,000 was adequate money to give them to kick start the project. We want to show them we know that Luke Air Force Base plays a big role in Peoria and we have a lot of retirees out here and the community connects very solidly with Luke."

Down the road, if the opportunity presents itself, the city may look at additional dollars for the support center, he said, noting that if the city had given more, it would have taken away grant monies from other organizations that serve the community.

Surprise has budgeted $50,000 for the center in its upcoming spending plan and the intention is to request $50,000 each year until the city reaches $250,000, City Manager Bob Wingenroth said in a letter to the Foundation.

Glendale and Phoenix have not made a firm commitment yet.

Corporations also have kicked in funding.

Epcor Water has committed $25,000 to be paid in installments over five years and the Mellon Family Foundation is donating $2,000 each year over the next five years for a total of $10,000, according to documents.

So far, more than $600,000 has been raised, according to the group's website.

Funding will be two-pronged, to cover immediate costs as well as fund an endowment that would cover the anticipated $200,000 to $250,000 annual operating costs in perpetuity.

The Foundation has a five-year, no-cost lease with Luke Air Force Base for a 1,548-square-foot unused building located on the east side of Litchfield Road. Mr. Yamamori said the lease can be continued if the program is successful.

The goal is to help 100,000 veterans and their families over the next 10 years. Housing, human services and personal services also will be offered. The Foundation has inked an agreement with Luke to transition 400 to 450 airmen annually.

Mr. Yamamori said some airmen will return to their home state when they leave Luke, but many would stay if they have opportunities in Arizona.

"A lot of time it depends on what opportunities are there," he said. "Lots of people are curious what the opportunities are before they leave (the state)."

Up to 650,000 veterans live in Arizona, which is about 10 percent of the total population in the state, according to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

This population has the potential to grow with more than 1 million active personnel serving currently, who will return to civilian life in the near future, according to the Foundation website.

"What I would like the people to understand is the West Valley in this effort and especially the cities, are making a huge commitment for sustained support of transitioning veterans and their spouses," Mr. Yamamori said. "We hope his will be an example and that can go nationwide."