Recognizing & Supporting Veterans In The Valley
Discounts | Events | Activities and More!
Recognize a veteran in your life or just say thank you to all who have served!
Submit your message in the form at the bottom of the page.
According to US Department of Veterans Affairs statistics, 119,550 of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II are alive in 2023. Of that remaining group, 3,289 WWII Veterans reside in Indiana and 4,307 WWII Veterans call Illinois home.
The report, Aging Veterans: America’s Veteran Population in Later Life, examines characteristics of the nation’s 8.1 million veterans ages 65 or older in 2021.
- Nearly one-half (49%) of all veterans in the United States were 65 years or older.
- The largest group of older veterans (5.5 million) served during the Vietnam era. World War II veterans made up the smallest group (183,000) of war-time veterans.
- Older veterans were less likely to be at risk of isolation than other older adults. About 43% of older veterans experienced at least one characteristic of isolation compared with 46% of older adults who never served.
- In contrast, veterans in general, regardless of age, were more likely to have at least one characteristic of isolation than nonveterans (34% compared with 27%, respectively).
In 2022, there were 16.2 million veterans in the US.
In 2022, 6.2% of the adult civilian population were considered veterans.
- In Indiana, veterans accounted for 6.2% of the total state adult civilian population.
- In Illinois, veterans accounted for 4.8%.
In fiscal year 2020, governments spent a combined total of $249.4 billion on supporting veterans. That comes out to $752 per person.
38,000 veterans are experiencing homelessness in 2023.
Locally, we are combatting that crisis with the new Veterans Village currently under construction!
Vigo County Veteran’s Assistance Office
163 Oak St.
Terre Haute, IN 47807
Phone: (812) 462-3261
Fax: (812) 231-5646
Hours: 8am-12,1pm-4pm
- assists all veterans in finding military records.
- assist with the filing of claims for benefits for pension and service connected disabilities (compensation)
- assist spouses and dependent children of veterans in filing claims for benefits and educational allowances
- Offers free van transportation (for veterans) to medical appointments at the Indianapolis VA Hospital. The van to Indianapolis goes on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. There is also a van to the Danville VA Hospital which runs on Monday and Wednesday only. Call 812-462-3261 for information and to schedule a ride
- Offers various forms for burial benefits, burial markers, GI Bill education benefits, home loans, widow’s benefits, property tax exemptions, just to name a few.
Reach Veterans Services
621 Poplar Street
Terre Haute, IN 47807
812-232-6305, ext. 202 or 207
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 9:00am – 5:00pm, Fridays: 9:00am – 12:00pm
Wabash Valley Veterans can seek assistance from Reach Veteran Services in the following ways:
- Food Assistance
- Housing
- Support
Reach Veterans Services offers additional resources to Valley Vets:
- Emergency housing assistance
- Emergency Homeless Shelter
- Income Based Housing
- Case Management
- Peer support (one on one & group settings)
- Assistance in obtaining VA benefits
- Information referral
- Financial Assistance
- Housing counseling & assistance with housing searches
- Financial planning
- Transportation services relating to stabilizing housing
- Rental assistance
- Utility-fee payment assistance
- Deposits (security or utility)
- Moving costs (moving assistance and storage costs)
- Transportation (bus passes and car repairs)
- General housing stability assistance (bedding/mattresses, application fees, costs associated with gaining employment, etc.)
- Assistance with acquisition of service dogs and training for Veterans with PTSD/I & TBI
- Food & Clothing Assistance
- Child care services as it relates to stabilizing housing,
Hamilton Center Military Veteran Program
Hamilton Center’s Military Veteran Program (MVP) offers mental and emotional health resources to both returning servicemen and women and their families as they reacclimate to home life.
For more information, contact MVP Coordinator Steven Neice, CAPRC II-MH at 812-231-3738 or mvp@hamiltoncenter.org or visit the office at 620 8th Ave. Terre Haute, IN 47804.
The Veterans Village at Maple Avenue
The Veterans Village is currently under construction but will soon house and feed Valley Vets in need.
For more information, click here: https://theveteransvillageatmapleavenue.com/
For a full list of local veterans groups and organizations in the Wabash Valley, click here: https://www.thehaute.life/terre-haute-veteran-organizations
History:
Veterans Day is on Saturday, November 11th, 2023. Also called Armistice Day, this national day of recognition was proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson in 1919.
It was originally called Armistice Day, commemorating the end of World War I.
World War I officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. However, the fighting ended about seven months before that when the Allies and Germany put into effect an armistice on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
This is why the Veterans Day moment of silence is typically observed for two minutes at 11:11 am every Veterans Day.
For that reason, Nov. 11, 1918, was largely considered the end of “the war to end all wars.”
In 1926, Congress officially recognized it as the end of the war, and in 1938, it became an official holiday, primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I. But then World War II and the Korean War happened, so on June 1, 1954, at the urging of veterans service organizations, Congress amended the commemoration yet again by changing the word “armistice” to “veterans” so the day would honor American veterans of all wars.
Etiquette:
Know the difference between Veterans Day & Memorial Day.
Memorial Day is a time to remember those who gave their lives for our country, particularly in battle or from wounds they suffered in battle. Veterans Day honors all of those who have served the country in war or peace — dead or alive — although it’s largely intended to thank living veterans for their sacrifices.
Fly the Flag:
Veterans Day is a great opportunity to fly the flag. Just make sure you’re observing the proper rules for display. Here are a few of those important tips:
- Never drag a U.S. flag on the ground or let it touch the ground.
- Don’t drape it over the hood, top, sides or back of a vehicle.
- Don’t display the U.S. flag above any other flag, and keep it at the center when it’s surrounded by other flags.
- Don’t display a tattered or torn flag. Flags that are tattered and torn should be disposed of in a respectful way, preferably by burning.
- Never use the flag as apparel, bedding or drapery.
Visit the Veterans Memorial Museum of Terre Haute to honor all of those who have served our country.
1129 Wabash Ave., Terre Haute, IN 47807
Phone: (812) 208-1396
Hours: Saturday 12pm-4pm
Browse a variety of military memorabilia from WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan as we pay our respects to those who answer the call to service.
If you or someone you know has any military memorabilia you would like to donate to the museum, click here: https://veteransmuseumofterrehaute.com/donations/
