Serving veterans in need: annual stand-down event returns to New Bern

Todd Wetherington, Sun Journal
·3 min read
After being put on hold in 2021 due to COVID-19, the annual Veterans Stand-Down event will return to New Bern this year on November 9.
After being put on hold in 2021 due to COVID-19, the annual Veterans Stand-Down event will return to New Bern this year on November 9.

After being sidelined last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Veterans Stand-Down will return to New Bern on November 9.

The 2022 Veterans Stand-Down will be held from 10 a.m. -1 p.m. at the National Guard Armory, 301 Glenburnie Street.

Now in its seventh year, the event brings together service providers from across the military, mental health, employment, and medical communities to offer essential resources to local homeless, disabled and disadvantaged veterans under one roof.

The event will primarily benefit veterans in Craven, Pamlico, Jones and Carteret counties but is open to veterans of all eras, active-duty personnel, family members and caregivers.

New Bern’s Veterans Employment Base Camp and Organic Garden have partnered with Craven NC Works Employment office to host this year’s veteran outreach.

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According to VEBCOG founder Lovay Wallace-Singleton, who also serves as Veterans Stand-Down executive director, up to 200 veterans are expected to attend this year’s outreach. The event will feature more than 50 federal, state and local civic and veteran organizations providing needed resources to homeless veterans or those in danger of becoming homeless.

Lunch will be provided and free haircuts will be available courtesy of the Craven Community College barber class.

Services represented at the November 9 stand-down will include:

  • Veterans benefits counseling

  • Homeless prevention assistance

  • Suicide prevention

  • Recovery and mental health

  • Housing resources

  • VA claim services

  • Women veterans-specific services

  • Educational opportunities

  • Employment and job counseling

  • Veterans organizations information

  • Military surplus

Individual providers will include Craven County Department of Social Services, NC Works, NC Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Craven Community College, Craven Opioid Task Force, Greenville VA Medical Center, NC Vocational Rehabilitation, and MERCI Clinic.

The Veterans Stand-Down is modeled after a similar concept used during the Vietnam War to provide a safe retreat for veterans returning from combat operations. At secure base camp areas, troops were able to take care of personal hygiene, get clean uniforms, enjoy warm meals, receive medical and dental care and send and receive mail.

Wallace-Singleton said the stand-down concept seeks to meet basic veteran needs through physical and mental health care from the civilian and military community.

“Our main goal is to provide veterans affairs benefits and health services and establish a self-help network,” Wallace-Singleton said.

For information about the 2022 Veterans Stand-Down, visit https://www.vebcognc.org/.

The stand-down will fall in the middle of a week of events for veterans:

November 8: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. - Veterans Job Fair National Guard Armory

November 9: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. - Veterans Stand-Down National Guard Armory

November 11: 5 a.m.-5 p.m. - March for the 22, 8400 Hwy. 17, Pollocksville and Union Point Park, 210 E. Front St., New Bern https://www.marchforthe22.us/

November 11: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. - Veterans Day Luncheon Temple Baptist Church.

Reporter Todd Wetherington can be reached by email at wwetherington@gannett.com. Please consider supporting local journalism by signing up for a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: Serving veterans in need: annual stand-down returns to New Bern Nov. 9