Veterans lost access to benefits and services during shutdown. What do they need now?

Veterans Day, the 11th day of the 11th month each year, is set aside to honor Americans past and present who served in our country’s armed forces. This year, the government shutdown prompted the cancellation of several Veterans Day events, but that was far from the only consequence of the shutdown for veterans. Many veteran families rely on federally-funded food assistance programs and other programs. Many veterans’ families include non-military federal workers, who have been furloughed under the shutdown. To tell us more about the current situation for veterans, and what resources are available to them, Heather Geraldes joins Midday. She is the Executive Director for the Maryland Veterans Trust Fund at the Maryland Department of Veterans & Military Families. Midday also speaks to Bob LaBrutta, a 38-year career veteran of the US Air Force who retired at the rank of Major General. He’s now the Vice President of Survivorship at USAA, a nationwide financial institution which serves military families exclusively. Plus, helping incarcerated veterans hoping to transition to the outside world. Kellen Kranich, Veterans Liaison at the Maryland Correctional Institution–Jessup, joins the program to talk about helping those who served get back on their feet.