Surrounding cities, such as Live Oak, Selma and Universal City, have a veteran population of 13%-15%, while the veteran population in New Braunfels is around 9.3%, and Seguin is around 7.64%.
One of the challenges for veterans is the amount of time it can take to get the assistance needed, and the most common assistance requested from veterans is related to disability services, said Billy Rodriguez, quarter master of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8315.
“You have to provide a lot of documentation to get through the process,” Rodriguez said.
The overview
For Schertz, Cibolo and Garden Ridge, veterans make up more than 20% of the total population, according to 2023 five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
In Selma, Universal City and Live Oak, the veteran population makes up nearly 15% of the total population.
As veteran populations continue to grow, services from local organizations and government initiatives have also expanded to assist veterans and their families with access to disability services, mental health treatment and employment.
Despite having access to programs, the application process can be daunting for older veterans, who usually need assistance, Rodriguez said.
VFW Post 8315 Commander Mike Martinez said another challenge applying for assistance is the unwillingness to relive memories that may trigger reactions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, or other mental health complications.
To overcome these challenges, Guadalupe County and the Alamo Area Council of Governments, or AACOG, have created one-stop shops for resources.
The Guadalupe County Veterans Outreach Center, or VOC, located in Seguin, houses veteran organizations in one building, with plans to expand programs in 2025.
Measuring the impact
The Guadalupe County Veterans Outreach Center helps over 180 veterans each week, said Nancy Russell, the center’s veteran services director.
It houses six programs, focusing on mental health support and financial support for disabled veterans and families, Russell said.
Although the Veterans Outreach Center is in Guadalupe County, residents of surrounding counties can utilize the programs and services offered by the county.
“We have Texas Veterans Commissions across the hall, and they can take anyone in the state,” Russell said. “People drive in from all over because there aren’t many TVC reps in surrounding areas.”
Veterans in Northeast San Antonio also have AACOG as a resource through the Alamo Veterans Network, or AVN.
This network connects veterans to other organizations for assistance with housing, employment, money management and other lifestyle needs.
According to the 2023 AACOG Annual Report, the AVN has around 230 veteran-serving organizations in the network.
Lyle Heidenwith, senior vice commander for Disabled American Veterans Chapter 61, said disability services and mental health are the primary forms of assistance veterans search for.
While veterans can apply for compensation for disabilities, the process can be long and stressful, especially for older veterans who may have a more difficult time providing documentation.
“I have seen it take three months, and I have seen it take up to seven years,” Heidenwith said.
During the application process, disabled veterans are not being compensated, which can lead to income challenges and other lifestyle needs while waiting for payments.
To assist with the gap, the VFW and similar organizations step in to provide short-term services while guiding veterans through the application process to get the needed long-term care.
Heidenwith said the claims process was slowed down for at least two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused further delays in veterans having access to support.
“They were three or four years behind, and I think they are just getting caught up now, but still a little behind,” he said.
What's being done
According to 2023 veteran affairs funding, Guadalupe County veterans received the most funding compared to counties surrounding San Antonio, reaching expenditures of around $548 million.
While many of the services offered around the community are targeted toward veterans, surviving spouses and other family members can also apply to specific programs designed to provide assistance to those who lost a loved one in the military, said Carmen Davila, Guadalupe County public information officer.
“We wanted people to be aware that it is a resource for the family,” she said.
Russell said aside from disability and surviving spouse services, mental health is one of the growing support areas for veterans, and many veterans do not take advantage of mental health programs.
“A lot of the Vietnam veterans have kind of ignored their needs,” Russell said.
Alongside mental health support, younger veterans have a difficult time readjusting to civilian life after serving, Martinez said.
Learn more
Through AACOG, VOC and other veteran-focused organizations, veterans and their families can receive support and assistance for lifestyle needs and navigating applications to federal programs.
But many are hesitant to go through long processes or not knowing where to start the application, Martinez said.
“It is important to encourage veterans to ask for help because we can’t help them if they don’t come to us,” Martinez said.
