On September 8, the President signed Executive Order (EO) 14426, which outlines new federal agency initiatives for improving coordination and access to benefits for military personnel and veterans. The EO, titled Accelerating Access to Veterans’ Benefits and Employment Opportunities, impacts the following federal agencies: the U.S. Department of War (DOW), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Counties support policies that improve outcomes for veterans, including increasing access to benefits and services through targeted data-sharing as well as improving the Transition Assistance Program and other initiatives.

What’s in the EO?

The Executive Order establishes a number of directives to DOW and VA, including the following:

Update IT systems, policy guidance and memoranda to ensure coordination of all military personnel files and Service Treatment Records from the start of military service to the end of a need for veteran benefits
Create and deploy new digital tools to streamline veterans’ applications for and access to benefits earned through military service into a comprehensive single source, including offering job training and opportunities through DOL
Ensure that DOW shares all military personnel files, service treatment records and health records with the VA the moment a service member is discharged from the armed services
Ensure all present and future procurement contracts for IT systems and services, relevant to the purpose of the EO, be interoperable with any other military personnel records systems, health records systems or service treatment records systems operated by DOW and the VA
Update the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and other workforce programs to ensure every service member leaving active military service is connected to jobs or education in fields relevant to their skills, interests and the specific goals or connected with appropriate veterans’ representatives acting on behalf of a Federal, State or local government to facilitate their application for healthcare, disability, home loan, job placement or education benefits.

What does this mean for counties?

Counties support serving veterans in their communities in various ways. County departments, including county veteran service officers, work diligently to connect existing veterans in their communities to earned benefits and support as well as integrate new veterans entering their communities to opportunity, stability and support. Counties often offer direct access to accredited support to ensure veterans are receiving the full value of their benefits, as well as assisting new veterans throughout the TAP process.

Counties welcome additional collaboration and coordination among participating federal agencies to ensure veterans are able to access the benefits and support they have earned. Counties will monitor the implementation of the EO and stand ready to serve as intergovernmental partners to support veteran communities.

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