AFTER yet another veterans town hall in the CNMI, one thing is certain: veterans and their families are tired of repeating themselves, only to not receive the assistance they need.
Over 20 veterans and military family members showed up at the American Memorial Park visitor center theater last week to air their issues during a veterans town hall led by Maj. Gen. Reginald Neal, the U.S. Army Pacific deputy commanding general. Joining Neal were four other military officials, including Guam National Guard Adjutant Gen. Esther Aguigui.
The issues raised pertained to post-traumatic stress disorder, basic healthcare, lack of a local veterans database, lack of a CNMI Veterans Affairs administrator, veterans’ privileges, assistance for veterans’ caretakers, and access to veterans’ benefits.
“We keep repeating ourselves, but there’s never any improvement,” one veteran said.
Veterans raised various healthcare concerns, mainly rooted in the lack of VA doctors in the CNMI. Some said that veterans with post-traumatic stress disorders had to speak to different therapists, and during each visit they had to relive their trauma.
Noting that Dr. Norma Ada is the only local doctor who is able to see veterans, but can only see them twice a week, veterans said the local healthcare system is overwhelmed, and there needs to be more VA doctors in the CNMI to help meet the needs of local veterans.
One family member who acts as a caretaker to her father, a Vietnam War veteran, said there needs to be better support for caretakers, and that past war veterans need to be remembered and need to receive the benefits they deserve for their military service.
“The Pacific islands in general are in a unique situation,” the family member said. “We’re isolated. We don’t and we will never have the numbers to meet whatever quotas that you name, but for the community to continue to support the initiatives that you have, with this big emphasis here in the Pacific, a good first start would be to show the care and concern for our veterans, and in turn, you’ll get a lot of support…. Look at the Pacific islands and the situation that we’re in instead of [saying], ‘This is the United States of America, so you have to find a way to fit into this.’ You need to look at our unique situation.”
Veterans also said that there is presently no local veterans database that gives an accurate accounting of how many veterans are in the CNMI or from the CNMI. The lack of a CNMI VA administrator is also a common concern for local veterans.
They noted that unlike stateside veterans, there aren’t many veterans privileges on island, apart from the troop store. Veterans said they would like to see a troop gas station or fuel vouchers.
Major General Neal encouraged the veterans to keep raising their concerns so that, eventually, the issues will be heard and resolved. “You can’t have a war without people,” he said. “There’s power in numbers. That collective voice will be heard. We owe it to you to acknowledge your service. You have to hold us accountable,” he added.
Also present for the veterans town hall were CNMI Office of Veterans Affairs Executive Officer Marie Salas-Igitol, Commonwealth Bureau of Military Affairs Special Assistant Glenna S. Palacios, and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command liaison officer, U.S. Air Force Capt. Kimberly B. Hofschneider.
Reginald Neal
