1. The Military / Veterans Coalition of Indiana www.in.milcoal.org
Summer Study on Veteran Service Officers

2. GDX File Analysis 2015 vs. 2014 for Indiana at the state level
Geographic Distribution of the US Dept of Veterans Affairs Expenditures (GDX)
The GDX Report presents the estimated dollar expenditures for major VA Programs by county within each state.
Expenditure data is grouped by the following categories:
Compensation and Pension (C&P);
Education and Vocational Rehabilitation;
Insurance and Indemnities;
Construction (CNSTR);
General Operating Expenses (GOE); and
Medical Care.
The GDX Report also includes veteran population estimates by county within each state and the number of unique patients who used VA health care services (

3. GDX File Analysis 2015 vs. 2014 for Indiana at the state level
Rank 16th in Vet population with 469,210 Vets.
Down a net of about 7,073 from 2014
(about 3,500 left the state and the others died).
130,705 IN Veterans received federal VA benefits in 2015
Calculated average $21,323 /YR per veteran.

4. GDX File Analysis 2015 vs. 2014 for Indiana at the state level
Total expenditures paid to IN Vets:
$2,787 BILLION up from $2,616 BILLION;
This is an increase of $171 MILLION

5. GDX File Analysis 2015 vs. 2014 for Indiana at the state level
US Dept of Veterans Affairs, in FY08, set target of 36% of the VETs to receive VA benefits & services.
IN at 27.86%
38,211 IN Vets needed for 36%
IN dropped to 27th from 26th other states have discovered the value of veterans and are doing a better job of connecting to them

6. GDX File Analysis 2015 vs. 2014 for Indiana at the state level
Why?
CVSO under-representation
Some work as little as 8 hours a week!
Some work 12 hours a week.
Veterans in some counties exceeds the capacity of veteran service officers to serve.
Few do proactive outreach.
Few support Veterans’ Treatment Courts

7. GDX File Analysis 2015 vs. 2014 for Indiana at the state level
IN LOST $815 MILLION last year alone!
Using General Assembly value 9.8 cents of every dollar spent goes to Indiana taxes and the velocity of money of 5;
IN missed $480 MILLION in taxes.
IT IS SOUND BUSINESS TO “INVEST” IN INDIANA VETERANS!

8. Public Consulting Group Dec 5, 2014 Evaluation of Veterans’ benefits and Assistance Operations

9. Additional supporting facts
3,500 Vets left IN in 2015; w/ spouse & family.
WalletHub: Avg. retirement age: Off 47.1 & EM 43.2
The National Active Retirement Association reports “a retiree couple is the equivalent to 3.7 manufacturing jobs…”
higher disposable incomes -- better educations
Less burden on streets, infrastructure, & schools.
active volunteers -- have higher wealth on average,
they pay higher taxes on purchases and property.”
Therefore, we should do everything to keep and even grow this cohort.

10. Additional supporting facts
According to American Community Survey 2014, “the median household income among Vets in the US is $56,890.”
Male Vets working full time earn about $6,000 more than similar non-Vets.
Female Vets earned about $7,000 more than similar non-Vets
(Per Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Policy and Planning, National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics in their June 2016 report. Getting and keeping veterans is a very positive economic advantage for a state.)

11. 21st Century Veterans Support Plan
Our Recommendation
21st Century Veterans Support Plan

12. 21st Century Veterans Support Plan
Fund IDVA w/ ”fenced” fund to provide grants to counties for the express purposes of funding CVSOs based upon formula of 1 CVSO per each 7,500 county vet population rounded to the closest half person minus 1 CVSO.
EXAMPLE: Allen Co. has 23,236 vets. Divide by 7.5K= 3.10
Now round to 3 (closest half) and subtract 1 = 2 additional CVSOs to be funded via grant from IDVA at the annual minimum federal exempt salary rate.

13. 21st Century Veterans Support Plan
Counties Vet count Calculated Adds
Allen 23,236, additional
Clark 9,089, additional
Delaware 8,727, additional
Elkhart 10, additional
Hamilton 17, additional
Hendricks 13, additional
Johnson 11, additional
La Porte 10, additional
Lake 31, additional
Madison 10, additional
Marion 61, additional
Porter 13, additional
St Joseph 17, additional
Tippecanoe 10, additional
Vanderburgh 12, additional
Vigo 8, additional
20 Total
20 additional $47,476= $949,520 Rep Judy used $35K
$700,000

14. 21st Century Veterans Support Plan
Require County Veteran Service Officers to be funded at 1000 hours per year. Provide funding from IDVA operating budget or establish a separate appropriation from the general fund for all Veteran Service Officers.
½ the minimum federal exempt salary per county.
Calculation: 92 CVSOs X .5 time X $47,476 = $2,183, annually.
Rep Judy used $15K $1,380,000

15. 21st Century Veterans Support
Fund CVSO training, annual update, Service Officer training expenses, and “VETRASPEC” software licenses w/ state appropriation.
 Calculation:
92 CVSOs + 20 CVSOs X ($500 for software + $170 per hotel, food, and travel) =$75,400
CVSO to serve for 5 yrs. (Poor performance exception).

16. 21st Century Veterans Support
Written notification to county/ city leadership, & governor days of vacancy .
Withheld from cities & counties a portion of income if they fail to enforce accreditation and reaccreditation requirements.

17. Indiana
"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." -- George Washington