IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 483 

Recognizing the importance and effectiveness of veteran-to-veteran 

sponsorship programs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 10, 2019 

Mr. GALLAGHER (for himself and Mr. KIND) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the importance and effectiveness of veteran-toveteran sponsorship programs. 

Whereas approximately 200,000 veterans discharge from the 

military every year, many experiencing difficulty 

transitioning from active duty to civilian life; 

Whereas many veterans experience a heightened risk for depression, isolation, post-traumatic stress disorder, confusion, or suicidal ideation during the transition period; 

Whereas evidence-based practices such as veteran-to-veteran 

peer support have proven to be effective in easing the 

transition to civilian life; 

Whereas the National Alliance on Mental Illness has recognized that veteran-to-veteran counseling increases self-esteem, social functioning, and life satisfaction; 


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•HRES 483 IH 

Whereas the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs has recognized that veteran-toveteran counseling improves social functioning, quality of 

life, independence, ability to deal with mental illness, 

communication skills, employment outcomes, and the effectiveness of the mental health delivery system; 

Whereas peer-to-peer veteran sponsorship programs help establish a welcoming environment that is more conducive 

for a positive transition to civilian life; 

Whereas veteran-to-veteran sponsorship programs are not an 

intervention, but a guiding hand to assist veterans; 

Whereas the Federal Government can aid in mitigating emotional, physical, and social challenges for veterans struggling with transition through support for veteran-to-veteran sponsorship programs; and 

Whereas veteran-to-veteran sponsorship programs have been 

established in communities in Northeastern Wisconsin 

and throughout the State, by a variety of entities including— 

(1) Brown County, Wisconsin, which hosts the 

Northeast Wisconsin Battalion, one of the first veteranto-veteran sponsorship programs of its kind in the State; 

(2) the 72 County Veterans Service Officers serving 

every county of Wisconsin, and 11 Tribal Veterans Service Officers serving Native American veterans, who are 

examples of veterans helping veterans; 

(3) La Crosse, Wisconsin, home to the La Crosse 

Area Veterans Mentor Program (LAVMP) which offers 

peer-to-peer mentorship and support for veterans struggling with substance abuse, homelessness, and social reintegration, offering support through Veterans Treatment 

Courts, a Veteran Community Health Worker, Peer SupVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:35 Jul 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR483.IH HR483

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port Specialists, and initiating a Peer Advisory for Veteran Education program at Western Technical College; 

(4) the Department of Veterans Affairs, which offers 

a transition specialist program, acknowledging the necessity of assisting veterans transition to civilian life; 

(5) Outagamie County, Wisconsin, which is home to 

a veteran-focused nonprofit, Veterans’ Mentor Group, to 

support other veterans, recruit new veteran mentors, provide training and coordinate with the Veterans Treatment 

Court Coordinator, in addition to being a resource for 

other veterans from within the community who may find 

themselves in need; 

(6) the military, which offers transition assistance 

programs to assist veterans with the transition to civilian 

life; 

(7) the University of Wisconsin System, which offers 

Vets for Vets, a student organization of veterans for veterans to assist with counseling and benefit information; 

(8) the University of Wisconsin Madison, which offers Peer Advisory for Veteran Education (PAVE), a 

peer-to-peer advising program that helps student veterans 

connect with other veterans, transition to college, and 

meet their personal and academic goals; and 

(9) the Fox Valley Technical College, as well as 

many University of Wisconsin campuses, which offer Student Veterans of America Chapters which are studentbased mentoring programs: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the importance, effectiveness, 

3 and need for veteran-to-veteran sponsorship proVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:35 Jul 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR483.IH HR483

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1 grams among existing programs and agencies of the 

2 Federal Government; and 

3 (2) encourages the use and practice of veteran 

4 to-veteran programs within the Federal Government 

5 and Congress. 

Æ 


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