The Missouri Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) late last week.
The award is given to someone whom the VFW sees as committed to veteran recovery and opportunities, as well as veterans' families. Blunt's contribution to veterans is evident in his dedication to providing accessible health care to veterans. In March 2015, Blunt co-sponsored the Veterans Access to Community Care Act, which would give veterans the ability to seek health services from a source other than the VA if the department cannot see them within 30 days of their request, or if a veteran lives over 40 miles from where VA health services are available. This also covers veterans who might need care that the nearest VA facility cannot provide for them.
Blunt also co-sponsored the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act, a law signed in 2014 to help veterans receive care outside of the VA if necessary.
Furthermore, Blunt has proven to be passionate about veterans' mental health. As a preventive measure, he co-sponsored the Mental-Health Exposure Military Official Record Act to better predict exposures that military members and veterans may encounter that could later contribute to mental health and brain-trauma issues. Blunt also played a major role in getting mental health treatment into the National Defense Authorization Act in 2014 by using language from the Caring for America's Heroes Act. These changes would be similar to care available for physical injuries within TRICARE. As an extension of that work, Blunt co-sponsored the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, which provides better mental health resources for veterans.
Concerning veterans' after-care, Blunt's membership in the bipartisan Congressional Veterans Job Caucus gave him the opportunity to help veterans transition from the military to civilian jobs when they return home. Blunt's Hire More Heroes Act works with companies to hire more veterans and to alleviate the pressure from the employer mandate in the Affordable Care Act. Beyond getting veterans jobs, Blunt also focused on job-acclimation for veterans when he introduced the Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing Veterans Act, which gives information to veterans on what companies provide better services and benefits for veterans. If the act is passed, the Department of Labor would award employers that took advantage of hiring veterans.
“I can’t think of any recognition I’ve received that I’m more humbled or touched by than this one," Blunt said, in accepting the award. "I’m honored to represent nearly 500,000 Missouri veterans in the Senate, all of whom have made countless contributions to our nation. To honor their service, we have a responsibility to ensure that they have access to quality and timely health care, good-paying jobs and help adjusting to civilian life. I’ve been proud to lead efforts to encourage employers to hire more veterans, expand health care treatment choices, and improve mental health and suicide-prevention resources available for our service members and veterans. Serving our veterans in the Senate is one of the most rewarding parts of my job, and I will continue working to put my words of gratitude into action.”
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