AGENCY TESTIMONY
Strategies for veteran self-identification
0:15:57
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51 sec
Commissioner Hendon emphasizes the importance of veteran self-identification and outlines the current challenges in identifying veterans in New York City.
- Nationwide, 34.3% of US military veterans self-identify, dropping to 29.8% in New York State and 24.1% in New York City.
- The commissioner stresses that for every visible veteran in New York City, there are three who are not seen.
- Improving veteran self-identification is crucial for effective civic engagement and service delivery.
James Hendon
0:15:57
Self identification.
0:15:59
Despite what we offer in terms of volunteer, serve and lead.
0:16:03
All is for not if we cannot identify veterans and duly inspire them to self identify, to proactively come out of the shadows, to level set, according to the VA's most recent gross domestic expenditure report, FY 23, Nationwide 34.3 percent of US military veterans self identifies.
0:16:23
The proportion drops to 29.8% in New York state and 24.1% in New York City.
0:16:28
In other words, to every New York City veteran that you see, like me and several in this room.
0:16:33
There are 3 you do not see.
0:16:36
We put volunteer serve and lead forward.
0:16:38
Those are civic engagement pillars.
0:16:40
We advance them proudly, but we cannot have a real discussion about civic engagement until we identify more of our people.
0:16:46
Few of our strategies in this regard follow.
