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Atlanta Councilman Jason Dozier Pushes for City-Run Veterans Affairs Office
Atlanta City Councilman Jason Dozier, the council's only military veteran, is leading a resolution to create a city-run office of veterans affairs to streamline services for more than 16,000 veterans and their families. The measure passed the finance committee unanimously on the eve of Veterans Day and heads to a final council vote next week.
Atlanta City Councilman Jason Dozier, the only member of the council who has served in the military, is asking Mayor Andre Dickens and his administration to establish a city-run office of veterans affairs, saying the move would streamline services for more than 16,000 veterans and their families living in Atlanta.
Dozier, who completed tours in Iraq and Afghanistan during his time in the U.S. Army, introduced the resolution last week with broad support from his colleagues, most of whom signed on as co-sponsors. The measure passed the council's finance committee unanimously on the eve of Veterans Day and is scheduled for a final vote next week.
"We've been doing a lot of stuff informally, but there's a lot of issues that veterans have that don't get addressed," Dozier said Tuesday. "We want to make sure that the city is doing everything it can to support our veterans."
The proposal comes as cities across the country have moved to create dedicated veterans offices. Dozier pointed to Washington, D.C., Houston, Jacksonville, New Orleans and New York as examples of municipalities that have established similar offices to serve veterans.
Dozier said veterans often have to navigate a fragmented landscape of services spread across federal, state and local agencies, and that a city office could help coordinate those resources. He noted that Atlanta's immigrant communities include veterans who may face additional barriers to accessing services.
"I want to make sure that we're not just doing this as a feel-good measure," Dozier said. "We want to make sure that the city is doing everything it can to support our veterans."
Councilman Matt Westmoreland, who represents a district in northwest Atlanta, said the city has a responsibility to help veterans who are struggling, including those who are homeless. He said the city's development and career training programs could be better connected to veterans' needs.
"We know there's a huge need for this," Westmoreland said. "We want to make sure that we're doing everything we can to support our veterans."
The resolution asks the mayor to create the office within the next 12 months. If approved, the office would be tasked with coordinating services for veterans, including housing assistance, job training and mental health resources.
Atlanta's veterans population is significant, and advocates say many veterans are unaware of the services available to them or face bureaucratic hurdles in accessing them. A dedicated office could serve as a central point of contact for veterans seeking help.
The proposal has drawn support from veterans' groups and community organizations, who say a city-run office would help fill gaps in services. The final vote is expected next week.