County holds Veterans Round Table

PULLMAN— A Veterans Round Table for Whitman County was held Monday, Oct. 16, in the Gladish View Room in Pullman, 115 Northwest State Street.

Whitman County Veterans Service Officer Becky Buri said that the round table was the first one to see where the county is identifying veteran-friendly resources and how to make veterans aware that resources exist.

“It was really well attended,” Buri said, noting several representatives from public offices and legion posts including Patty Murray’s office.

Buri said that a big part of the round tables focus was identifying service gaps, adding the example of single male veterans who are experiencing homelessness. “There are services for battered women if you have children, selective services for veterans and family that in our area takes four and a half weeks to get,” Buri said, adding that if you’re homeless, that’s harder to wait for. “We need something quicker for that,” she said.

Another gap Buri said the table identified was healthcare, mentioning that Civic City Councilman Nathan Weller in Pullman has been a big advocate for a mobile veterans clinic.

Buri said the biggest problem that Whitman County faces is that veterans in the area need to register or request a need for mobile check-in.

Buri said that the Department of Veterans Affairs in Spokane, Mann-Grandstaff, said they would come to do a mobile check-in for Whitman County. Still, there is a significant gap in who is an eligible veteran and who is registered in the county.

Buri’s goal is to let Veterans know that all they have to do is register in Spokane and that, with help, the resource will be less cumbersome to navigate.

Buri said that everyone at the round table understood the mission. “The week I had gone to that round table, someone had a wheelchair ramp they wanted to donate,” Buri said, adding that they did not know the resources to make it available to a veteran. Buri said another guy wanted to donate a card he’d been gifted for holiday meals.

Buri said they were brainstorming how to distribute these resources, “We need to be able to communicate we have this happening,” she said, noting that it unanimously sounded like those in attendance wanted to be a part of the resource.

“We’re not exactly sure how we’re going to move forward or what direction we’re going to take it,” she said, adding that plans include possibly starting an email chain or a monthly newsletter of resources and new needs. Buri said it was initially determined that there is a need for that, which is a great start.

Buri said they are hoping to have more round tables in the future, and she is coming up with more resources to reach the area’s veterans.

Buri is currently working with the Whitman County Health Department on their newly developed resources guide. “They’re in the process of adding a tab for veteran-friendly resources,” she said, noting that it is in the development process, which is part of what the round table was about.

For Buri, the biggest goal of the round table was establishing how to get the word out and create a network of veterans in the area.

Buri said another thing they want to do is host a stand down. Buri explained a stand down is a full-day event bringing together resources for veterans, including food and networking, as well as activities such as free haircuts, emergency backpacks, hygiene kits, job availability booths, and people who can write resumes. “They’re thinking they would like to do something like that in the Spring,” Buri said, noting that there is a grant they could apply for, but its deadline is approaching, so they’re not sure if they’ll be able to do it in Spring. “It would be a great thing to have for Whitman County,” she said, noting that the goal is to let everything know it’s not for an agency but for the veterans.

Buri said they are in the infant stage of putting it all together and trying to start the network. “It’s really going to be fun to see all it comes together. I’m excited about it,” she said.