A Smarter Approach to Veterans’ Success
San Antonio, known as “Military City, USA,” is home to thousands of veterans and their spouses who often face significant challenges when transitioning to civilian life. Many veterans struggle with translating military skills into civilian jobs, accessing healthcare, and finding stable housing. Additionally, military spouses face similar challenges after having sacrificed their careers due to relocations and other demands, despite being highly skilled and resilient.
My Veteran Action Plan strengthens, expands, and improves support programs for veterans and their spouses, ensuring they receive efficient and effective support. My plan will enhance strong existing initiatives, fill gaps, and remove barriers to success, making San Antonio the best city for veterans and their spouses to live, work, and thrive.
This proposal includes expanded job placement programs, workforce training, and entrepreneurship support, ensuring veterans and their spouses can enjoy stable careers and small business success. By investing in military families, we boost our local economy and honor our commitment to those who serve.
This plan is about action, not empty promises, focusing on providing real, tangible support that improves the lives of veterans and their spouses. It’s not about reinventing the wheel but enhancing the effectiveness of existing programs to reach more veterans and deliver greater results. By collaborating, we ensure that every veteran and their spouse in our city receives the support they’ve earned. Investing in veterans and military spouses not only strengthens veteran families but also boosts our local economy, making San Antonio a city that truly supports those who serve, both in uniform and at home.
My Veterans Action Plan is built on three core principles:
- Enhancing Employment, Entrepreneurship & Workforce Development – Ensuring veterans can translate their skills, access job opportunities, receive career support, and start their own businesses.
– Improving job placement programs by expanding employer partnerships and ensuring military skills translate directly into civilian careers.
– Enhancing workforce development and apprenticeship opportunities tailored to veterans’ unique experiences.
– Supporting Veteran Entrepreneurship & Small Business Growth by removing barriers to accessing capital, improving city contracting opportunities, navigating licensing requirements, and receiving the mentorship needed to succeed. - Strengthening Housing & Healthcare Access – Expanding assistance for homeless veterans, improving access to VA and mental health services, and making San Antonio a more veteran-friendly city.
– Strengthening existing veteran housing programs while creating new pathways for homeownership and rental assistance.
– Expanding mental health and disability accommodations so veterans can thrive in the workplace and daily life. - Improving Coordination & Efficiency – Streamlining city, state, and federal efforts so veterans don’t have to fight bureaucracy to get the help they need.
– Streamlining city services for veterans by improving coordination with the VA, nonprofit organizations, and local businesses.
Prioritized 10-Point Plan for Enhancing Veteran Services in San Antonio
- Veteran Skills Translation & Career Matching
- Create a Veterans Skills Equivalency Office for translating military skills into civilian qualifications.
- Forge partnerships with key industries like healthcare and IT to facilitate veteran hiring.
- Offer free certification and licensing for civilian professions.
- Veteran Job Search & Networking Assistance
- Establish a Veteran Job Search Assistance Center providing career coaching, resume workshops, and mock interviews.
- Expand veteran-focused career fairs and launch a mentorship program with employed veterans.
- Employer Education & Hiring Incentives
- Initiate a Veteran Employer Training Program to educate on military skills and culture.
- Provide tax incentives and prioritize city contracts for businesses that hire veterans.
- Targeted Support for Unemployed Veterans
- Implement the San Antonio Veterans Employment Guarantee for personalized job placement and training.
- Develop veteran-specific apprenticeships in sectors like cybersecurity and healthcare.
- Expanded Transition Assistance
- Partner with the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) to enhance pre-separation job preparation.
- Set up a Veteran Transition Navigation Office for career, education, and financial counseling.
- Veteran Entrepreneurship & Business Support
- Launch a Veteran Small Business Incubator with resources, mentorship, and funding.
- Provide workshops on entrepreneurship and management tailored to veteran needs.
- Enhance access to small business loans and grants, including a fund offering microloans and startup grants.
- Mental Health & Workplace Accommodations
- Advocate for flexible work arrangements and mental health accommodations.
- Partner with hospitals and the VA to establish a mental health resource hub.
- Offer grants for workplace accessibility improvements for disabled veterans.
- Improved Public Transit Access
- Provide free public transportation passes for disabled and unemployed veterans.
- Develop a veteran-specific ride-share program for essential travel needs.
- Enhanced Veteran Housing Support
- Expand housing programs and provide rental and mortgage assistance for veterans.
- Strengthen partnerships with nonprofits for veteran-specific housing services.
- Strengthened Coordination with VA and Service Organizations
- Appoint a Veteran Affairs Liaison in the Mayor’s Office.
- Establish a Mayor’s Veterans Advisory Council to influence city policies and advocate for expedited VA services.
- Work with our state and federal leadership to help San Antonio veterans