At the bar, Joe Federmann considered how Esteban Santiago fell through the social safety net Alaska has for veterans. Federmann wondered whether he had signed up to get mental health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Alaska offers vets opportunities in oil fields, health care, mining, aviation, military contract work and the federal workforce. “A lot of veterans are of an independent mind-set.”Woody Quackenbush, 72, is a veteran and volunteers with the Alaska Veterans Mental Health Wellness Council. Alaska has expanded mental health programs and access to health care for veterans greatly over the past decade.

Source: Washington Post January 14, 2017 23:31 UTC