Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs

[upbeat music] Welcome to Minnesota Military Radio, a production of iHeartMedia, the Minnesota National Guard, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, the Minneapolis VA Healthcare System, and Beyond the Yellow Ribbon.

Get updates and show information at minnesotamilitaryradio.com.

Your host is former command senior enlisted leader for the Minnesota National Guard, retired Command Sergeant Major Doug Wortham.

[upbeat music] Welcome to Minnesota Military Radio, a production of iHeartMedia, the Minnesota National Guard, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, the Minneapolis VA Healthcare System, and Beyond the Yellow Ribbon.

Get updates and show information at minnesotamilitaryradio.com.

Your host is former command senior enlisted leader for the Minnesota National Guard, retired Command Sergeant Major Doug Wortham.

Welcome to Minnesota Military Radio, a production of iHeartMedia, the Minnesota National Guard, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, the Minneapolis VA Healthcare System, and Beyond the Yellow Ribbon.

Get updates and show information at minnesotamilitaryradio.com.

Your host is former command senior enlisted leader for the Minnesota National Guard, retired Command Sergeant Major Doug Wortham.

Welcome to Minnesota Military Radio.

Whether you're listening on a local Minnesota station, across the country on our national broadcast, or on your favorite podcast plat- podcast platform, we are glad that you're with us today.

This week, we are gonna be learning about the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs SOAR program, how it helps eligible veterans navigate the SSI/SSDI application process.

We'll discuss whom the program serves, the barriers veterans may encounter when applying for veterans, and then the support SOAR provides along the way.

We're also gonna hear from a United States Marine Corps veteran about his experience with the program, and then we're gonna share some practical information for veterans, families, and community organizations that might be interested in connecting with SOAR.

I'm Tasha Radolf.

The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs is bringing attention to the mental health struggles our state's veterans go through.

MNN's Sean Maloney chats with Veterans Suicide Prevention and Program Coordinator Christy Stites.

what is kind of the situation in Minnesota when it comes to, you know, how many vets are dealing with stuff like this? I know you've had incidents, suicides a year.

It's been statistically, it's evidence-based, you know, proven to save lives.

So just people don't care how much we know until they know how much we care, right?

MNN's Sean Maloney and Christy Stites with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.

More Minnesota matters after this.

Welcome to Minnesota Military Radio, a production of iHeartMedia, the Minnesota National Guard, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, the Minneapolis VA Healthcare System, and Beyond the Yellow Ribbon.

Get updates and show information at minnesotamilitaryradio.com.

Your host is former Command Senior Enlisted Leader for the Minnesota National Guard, retired Command Sergeant Major Doug Wortham.

Joining us first are Dave Gergen.

He's with the Minnesota Association of County Veteran Service Officers.

And Chase Arden and Christy Stites with the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.

We also have a very, very special guest in the studio.

Bella is here.