By Veterans Affairs' numbers, there are more than 400,000 veterans in South Carolina. In fact, veterans and their families account for a third of the state's population. There are already hundreds of organizations in place to assist men and women in their life after service, but part of The State and Local Veterans Issues Study Committee's concern is that there is no central body in place designed to help vets navigate the maze of services.
The committee aims to change that. Though it has existed for about five years, The State reported that it was only just recently that six new members were added, including appointees by Gov. Nikki Haley and the state's adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Robert Livingston.
"We need to have a longstanding and continued focus on the needs of our veterans," said State Representative James Smith to The State.
At a meeting on Tuesday the members agreed that their biggest issue was consolidating resources for veterans – including housing and suicide prevention measures – and, just as importantly, keeping everyone involved committed and accountable.
Col. Ronald Taylor, a member of the National Guard and newly appointed to the committee, told South Carolina's local WLTX News that "A lot of great folks want to do a lot of great things but sometimes having so many different programs kind of creates some confusion out there." To The State he continued "But we need to create that one entity where a persona can walk in and get assistance."
The process is complicated, however, by the fact that every county has its own veterans' affairs office funded and run by county residents – meaning that statewide oversight doesn't exist. Some committee members have suggested that VA centers be determined by congressional districts, but as for the moment, all major decisions remain on the horizon.