Adam Hollier, Director of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency
The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency was created in 2013 and is the central coordinating agency, providing support, care, advocacy and service to veterans and their families. The agency works to identify and break down barriers that veterans face in employment, education, health care and quality of life. It does this by helping to connect veterans and their families to the federal and state benefits they have earned.
Mr. Hollier believes that there are three important components as to how veterans should be treated: (1) recognize and thank them for their service; (2) encourage them to take advantage of all benefits available to them; and (3) actively pursue benefits on their behalf. Studies show that the very high suicide rate of veterans is cut by 50% when they utilize their benefits. He finds that many don’t seek them because their active duty was a bad experience, or they don’t consider themselves to be veterans because they served in a support capacity.
While director, Mr. Hollier has been able to double the connection his agency has with Michigan veterans but believes there are still 200,000 outside the system. To learn more, go to www.michigan.gov/mvaa (http://www.michigan.gov/mvaa)
The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency was created in 2013 and is the central coordinating agency, providing support, care, advocacy and service to veterans and their families. The agency works to identify and break down barriers that veterans face in employment, education, health care and quality of life. It does this by helping to connect veterans and their families to the federal and state benefits they have earned.
Mr. Hollier believes that there are three important components as to how veterans should be treated: (1) recognize and thank them for their service; (2) encourage them to take advantage of all benefits available to them; and (3) actively pursue benefits on their behalf. Studies show that the very high suicide rate of veterans is cut by 50% when they utilize their benefits. He finds that many don’t seek them because their active duty was a bad experience, or they don’t consider themselves to be veterans because they served in a support capacity.
While director, Mr. Hollier has been able to double the connection his agency has with Michigan veterans but believes there are still 200,000 outside the system. To learn more, go to www.michigan.gov/mvaa (http://www.michigan.gov/mvaa)