Local Veterans Find Help at "The Coming Home Project"

Their paths took them through the jungles of Vietnam, the deserts of the Middle East, and the unforgiving mountain trails of Afghanistan. But many service members returning home after serving in America’s armed forces have found themselves facing a different battleground entirely: the sea of paperwork, voicemails, and red tape that ties our veterans’ affairs industry together.

For many veterans looking to obtain their rightfully-earned benefits, long lines, crowded hallway benches, and endless transfers can quickly become a sad and painful reality. Not so at “The Coming Home Project,” a veterans claims clinic held at Monmouth University last Saturday that gave local vets a free opportunity to sit down with a friendly veterans affairs specialist for a one-on-one conversation.

Founded by Assembly Members Eric Houghtaling (D-Neptune) and Joann Downey (D-Freehold) and co-hosted by the Monmouth University School of Social Work and Senator Vin Gopal (D-Long Branch), The Coming Home Project is an annual event that aims to connect Monmouth County veterans with services - including legal aid, mental health programs, utility assistance, career development, and benefit interviews - to help them transition into civilian life and make their lives more affordable.

More than forty veterans took advantage of the program this year, making appointments to speak with specialists about programs they were eligible for and extra support that they could receive. Their backgrounds and ages varied widely, including a young mother carrying a newborn as she sat beside a grey-haired and grizzled graduate of combat in Vietnam.

“As the mother of two young daughters, my heart goes out to the young couple holding their baby in their arms as they spoke with the Veteran Administration about ways to secure their family’s future,” said Assemblywoman Downey, who oversees legislation related to many of the State of New Jersey’s services and benefits programs as Chair of the Assembly Human Services Committee. “The Coming Home Project gives us a platform to advocate on their behalf, and a venue to help all Monmouth County veterans achieve the families, careers, and futures that they deserve.”

“A lot of the struggles they’re facing are universal, whether that’s finding a career they can excel at, medical care they can afford, or just help with paying the bills,” said Assemblyman Houghtaling, soon after speaking with a young soldier inquiring about veterans’ housing. “Unfortunately, for a lot of these men and women, their work is complicated by issues like PTSD, which make it that much harder to seek help.

“No matter who you are, it’s what you don’t know that can hurt you the most,” said Senator Gopal, who serves as Chair of the Senate Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “Our job as legislators is to bridge that gap, helping folks to connect with the services and organization that can help.”

It can be difficult for any person to navigate the maze of agencies, nonprofits, and programs that purport to help New Jersey veterans, especially when each one has its own unique process, eligibility rules, and documentation. That’s why the Coming Home Project was first founded, Downey says.

“Part of my job as Human Services Chair in the Assembly is to make sure that we’re doing all we can to make these kinds of benefits accessible and understandable to the individuals that need them,” she added. “A million-dollar program is only as good as the number of people it’s able to help.”

“Our main goal was to streamline the flow of information and take these services out of the cold institutional environment that prevents many folks from even asking about them,” Houghtaling said. “We want our veterans to feel at ease when they’re looking for help, and to feel supported, not ashamed or frustrated, while they’re doing so.”

Brigadier General Jemal Beale, the adjunct general of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs who oversees the New Jersey National Guard, was also among those who turned out to answer questions and support the veterans attending the Coming Home Project.

The event’s organizers were glad to see such a big turnout for this year’s clinic. Houghtaling and Downey both believe that their efforts can’t end after a single annual event, though. That’s why they’ve fought for additional legislation increasing opportunities and decreasing costs for New Jersey veterans, including a bill expanding access to peddlers license for veterans and a bill to expand the veterans’ property tax deduction to residents of continuing care retirement communities.

“There’s no way to fully repay veterans for the challenges they’ve faced and the courage they’ve displayed - both abroad and at home,” Downey said. “Even so, we can still do our best to try. Connecting veterans with the services and benefits they’ve earned may not solve every problem they face, but it’s a good place to start.”

Veterans seeking additional information on services and assistance programs are invited to call the office of Senator Gopal and Assembly Members Houghtaling and Downey at (732) 695-3371 for help.