Beyond ‘Thank you for your service’

Daniel Bahls, a staff attorney at Community Legal Aid, wrote a recent op-ed in The Greenfield Recorder about the challenges veterans face, including legal needs.

“As we celebrate our veterans on Veterans Day, we must also acknowledge what we, as their country and their community, can do better to honor their sacrifices.

While our region’s veteran population is diverse, it includes many particularly vulnerable veterans who receive care at the Edward P. Boland VA Medical Center in Leeds or who have been attracted to the area for the deep support and benefits available to veterans. Unfortunately, sometimes benefits are only “available” on paper. While the VA provides compensation and financial for service-connected mental health injuries, it does not provide the legal support that is often necessary to access this critical support.”

Read more in The Greenfield Recorder.