Military
Care for service members
Access to affordable housing, quality education, healthcare and employment are all contributing factors to our overall quality of life and wellness. San Antonio needs to work with the military to ensure that service members, their families and veterans all have access to these opportunities and amenities outside of the military installations. The city’s military installations, service members, veterans and their families require a wide range of support and advocacy on multiple levels and from a broad range of organizations.
With approximately 84,405 retired and 211,299 military veterans in the San Antonio vicinity, long-range planning for provision of services to this aging population is vital. We must continue to solicit and respond to veterans’ concerns and work towards remedying them. The City should initiate a study that addresses how the local healthcare community can help mitigate shortfalls in Veteran Affairs (VA) care.
The Commission on Veterans’ Affairs is an important part of this work. Its mission is to serve the City Council in an advisory capacity on legislative issues affecting the city's military population, both active and retired. The Commission serves as the community's liaison and advocates for veterans' affairs; advises the City Council on issues affecting San Antonio veterans and their families; and makes recommendations for improving services. This Commission, as well as other commissions and nonprofit organizations, help bridge the gap between the military, the City and other jurisdictions in the region. They create a venue for developing solutions that are mutually beneficial for both parties and we should support their efforts.
We should also encourage and support educational and job training programs that help veterans transition from military to civilian life. Job training and education courses should also be available for spouses who wish to learn trades outside of the home or off the base.
As compatible development surrounding bases is identified and prescribed, San Antonio should work with the military to attract developers who specialize in creating affordable, community-focused housing. As with development in all parts of our city, access to transportation, green spaces, parks, trails and proximate healthcare are all factors that should be considered.
Longstanding Military Partnership: San Antonio Office of Military Affairs
For 300 years, the City of San Antonio has enjoyed a deep and long standing history of partnership with the military. That relationship, and the City’s commitment to its military community, is manifested through our Office of Military Affairs. San Antonio is one of the few cities in the nation that has integrated this permanent structure into our local government in order to: sustain and enhance the military’s missions, ensure the long-term protection of our bases; and support veterans, retirees, active duty personnel and their families. Established in 2007, the Office of Military Affairs is the City’s formal point of contact for issues of common concern affecting the military and the City.
Commission on Veteran's Affairs
The Commission on Veteran's Affairs is an 11-member board representing the Mayor and ten City Council Districts. All members must be veterans and may serve no more than three (3) two-year terms. The Commission was chartered by the City Council on April 12, 2001 and their first meeting was held on August 29, 2001.