Happy Holidays to you and yours! I hope this season brings time for you to gather with loved ones, enjoy some rest and relaxation, and look forward to the coming year.

The weekend of Dec. 27 - 29, my “year in review” interview will air on Minnesota Military Radio. That same program will include an interview with Major General Shawn Manke, Adjutant General of the Minnesota National Guard.

One of MDVA’s biggest accomplishments of the last year was the opening of three new State Veterans Homes. We understand that Minnesota is the only state to ever build and open three Veterans Homes at one time.

These three new locations – in Bemidji, Montevideo and Preston – will eventually serve 200 Veterans needing skilled nursing care as they age. The Homes have all received recognition from the Federal VA and are now staffing up in order to admit more Residents. Employee recruitment campaigns are underway and we look forward to continuing to onboard new team members in the coming months.

Another great accomplishment of 2024 was taking a step closer to becoming the fourth state in the country to end Veteran homelessness. In October, the Hennepin County Continuum of Care declared the effective end to Veteran homelessness in their communities. Only Ramsey County is yet to achieve “functional zero” for Veteran homelessness; we are working closely with their team and supporters to make that happen.

“Functional zero” does not mean that no Veteran is experiencing homelessness, or that no Veteran will experience homelessness in the future. It does mean that a community has driven that number down to zero and is keeping it below the community’s capacity to ensure positive exits from homelessness.

During 2024, we also continued our efforts to prevent Veteran suicide. Tragically, Minnesota loses some 100 Veterans every year to suicide. Research shows that firearms are the most common method used for Veteran suicides, so if we can delay access to a gun, it may mean the difference between life and death. That’s why we continue to distribute gun locks – more than 20,000 have been shared – to promote firearm safety and prevent Veteran suicide.

Of course, our largest event of 2024 was the Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration. Held in June at Mall of America, we connected with thousands of people who were able to visit historical museum displays, the American Veterans Traveling Tribute Wall, view Vietnam War documentaries and more.

Hundreds of Veterans and family members attended a resource fair and a commemoration program that included remarks from Veterans, music and a formal acknowledgement of appreciation to this generation of Veterans who often did not receive the homecoming they deserved, one of respect, honor and gratitude for their service and sacrifice.

If you need information or support on any Veteran issue, please visit our website, contact your County Veterans Service Officer, or contact LinkVet at 1-888-LinkVet.

Thank YOU for your service!