Seven candidates running for Prince George’s County Executive participated in a Veterans Forum June 7 at the Greenbelt American Legion Post 136 to share how they would address county veterans’ issues. The event, sponsored by the Prince George’s County Commission for Veterans, had more than 100 veterans and family members listening to candidates Angela Alsobrooks, Billy Bridges, Donna Edwards, Jerry Mathis, Paul Monteiro, Anthony Muse and Tommie Thompson respond to audience-submitted questions.
With a projected 2018 Maryland veteran population of 380,000, with approximately 60,000 residing in Prince George’s County, the forum was timely and provided a prime opportunity for the candidates to reveal their thinking about Prince George’s County veterans. Taken together, each candidate’s responses to questions, except for individual nuances, were similar in saying how each would remove bureaucratic roadblocks, establish priority support for general and mental healthcare, promote military-learned skills to civilian jobs, apply tax relief to veterans’ retirement income, provide transition training and education programs, ensure adequate home ownership opportunities and assist homeless veterans. Another recommendation that met with audience approval was to direct veterans, when possible, to programs that will help them recover from addiction and participate in job training to defeat homelessness, instead of expecting the courts to effectively address those issues.
Read more of this story in the June 14 News Review.