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WILKES-BARRE — Pennsylvania’s veteran population ranks fourth in the U.S., with more than 697,655 veterans as of 2023.
Since 2009, Pennsylvania’s Veterans Treatment Courts have been assisting veterans who are charged with crimes and are struggling with substance abuse disorder, mental illness or other co-occurring disorders.
Veterans Treatment Court participants appear before a judge on a regular basis; receive support and guidance from veteran mentors; and get treatment to address underlying problems often caused by post-traumatic stress disorder.
In 2023, 147 veteran participants successfully graduated from a Veterans Treatment Court in the Pennsylvania, which represents a 75% successful completion rate.
In Pennsylvania, 54 of 67 counties currently have treatment courts — (Drug, DUI, Mental Health, and/or Veterans Treatment Court) — in which veterans can participate if they meet the eligibility criteria.
Additionally, all justice-involved veterans are entitled to a Veteran Justice Outreach (VJO) program specialist to help them navigate the Veterans Affairs system and get them connected with services available to them.
LCTA: Veterans, active duty military ride free on Monday, Nov. 11
The Luzerne County Transportation Authority (LCTA) will offer free rides to veterans and active duty military Monday, Nov. 11 in recognition of their service.
Veterans can show drivers their VA Cards, and active duty members can show their Military ID cards, to ride at no cost.
“We feel it is important to honor the sacrifices made by our distinguished veterans and members of our military,” said Executive Director Bob Fiume. “Offering free rides is just a small token of appreciation.”
Veterans Day, which was first proclaimed a holiday in 1919 as Armistice Day in remembrance of World War I veterans, became a legal holiday in 1938.
It later became known as Veterans Day in 1954 and is a federal holiday.
DMVA secures $600,000 grant to develop suicide mortality review programs
The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) has secured a $600,000 cooperative agreement grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help develop Suicide Mortality Review (SMR) programs in two pilot counties — York and Westmoreland.
Pennsylvania is one of only 10 states and two territories to receive this grant.
Military veterans are 1.5 times more likely to die by suicide than Americans who never served in the military. For female veterans, the risk factor is 2.2.
Suicide Mortality Review programs are conducted by county committees, which access multiple sources of clinical and non-clinical information that provide a deeper understanding of the circumstances surrounding a death. These committees then develop recommendations for action to prevent similar deaths among veterans in the future.
“Receiving this grant is a credit to the great work Pennsylvania has been doing to raise awareness about suicide among service members, veterans and their families,” said Brig. Gen. John Pippy, acting adjutant general and head of the DMVA. “Prior to DMVA being awarded the grant, Westmoreland and York counties stepped forward and volunteered to work with us on establishing Suicide Mortality Review Programs. Now, we can assist them in their valiant effort to reduce veteran suicides.”
Shapiro Administration highlights PA Investments in military veteran farmers
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding this week toured Riverton Farms in Doylesburg, Franklin County, a veteran-owned beef and sheep farm that received $10,000 in 2024 to fund a well and pump to for their livestock through Pennsylvania Veterans In Agriculture Grants.
Riverton was one of 18 veteran-owned farms to receive sub-grants through the PA Veteran Farming Network — one of two Pennsylvania veterans’ organizations funded through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture program in 2023.
Following the farm tour, Redding invited veterans’ services organizations to apply for up to $200,000 in Pennsylvania Veterans in Agriculture funds to deliver sub-grants to military veterans for farm and related business start-ups and expansion. Each veteran organization will in turn offer grants of up to $10,000 to veterans entering farming or expanding farms or related businesses.
“Veterans return from serving our country with valuable, hard-won skills they can put to work on the farm.” Secretary Redding said. “Just like any other business, they need to finance planning, safety, permits, equipment, and other critical needs. These grants are one of the tangible ways the Shapiro Administration is thanking our veterans for their service and creating opportunities for them to succeed on the home front.”
Grants may be used for agricultural business needs ranging from feasibility studies to food safety, bio-security, and conservation planning; and from equipment purchases, to permits, marketing, and working capital.
Agriculture faces a critical workforce shortage as a generation of farmers and laborers retire. These grants are one of many ways increased agriculture funding under the Shapiro Administration is building the workforce and infrastructure Pennsylvania’s $132.5 billion agriculture industry needs to keep growing, feeding our economy, and supporting more than 593,000 jobs.
Rep. Watro sponsors Veterans Day resolution
A resolution recognizing Nov. 11 as Veterans Day in Pennsylvania, sponsored by Rep. Dane Watro (D-116), passed unanimously this week in the PA House.
“Veterans Day is a time to reflect on the service of the brave men and women who have answered our country’s call; those who have not returned from the battlefield; those who have returned with the scars of war; and all who have worn the uniform and protected our freedoms and our way of life as Americans,” said Watro. “As a U.S. Army veteran, I am proud to be the prime sponsor House Resolution 544.”
2025 PA Farm Show asks Pennsylvanians — ‘Oh, Say, Can You Sing?’
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding this week invited Pennsylvania singers to enter “Oh, Say, Can You Sing?” — an annual star-spangled sing-off to win a chance to sing live at the 2025 PA Farm Show — during the Pennsylvania State Fair.
Each morning, from Jan. 4-11, the Farm Show will start by featuring an individual or group singing the national anthem live. Top vote-getters may also be selected to sing at special events such as the Opening Ceremony on Jan. 4.
“Our 2025 Farm Show theme is Powering Pennsylvania,” Secretary Redding said. “There’s no better way to start each day of the PA Farm Show than by hearing a powerful reminder of the pride and freedom that make our country, our commonwealth, and our agriculture industry great.”
The contest is open to Pennsylvania residents of all ages — both individuals and groups. Contestants can enter by emailing a YouTube link to a video of themselves singing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” without instrumental accompaniment, to — agcontests@pa.gov — or by uploading their video or YouTube link to the comments of the Pennsylvania Farm Show Facebook page posts about the contest.
Entries can be submitted until 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 17.
Finalists will be posted for fan votes by Facebook reactions (likes, loves, wows, etc.) from Nov. 19, through Nov. 24, at 11:59 p.m. on the Farm Show Facebook page. Ten finalists will be announced on Facebook, then notified by email of the day they are scheduled to sing.
Winners will be provided a free parking pass for the day and must be present at the Farm Show Complex by 7:45 a.m. the day they are selected to sing. A winner will sing live at 8 a.m. each day of the 2025 Pennsylvania Farm Show, from Jan. 4-11, 2025.
Full contest rules and instructions are available at — farmshow.pa.gov — and on the Farm Show Facebook page, along with more information about the 2025 PA Farm Show.
Lung Health Month and Veteran’s Day: A call to action for veteran lung health awareness
This November, in recognition of Lung Cancer Awareness Month and Veterans Day on Nov. 11, the American Lung Association is spotlighting the critical need for lung health awareness and prevention, particularly among military veterans.
The Lung Association is also offering four essential tips to help veterans improve lung health, prevent disease, and prioritize care.
Lung health remains a major concern within the veteran community, as many veterans face heightened risks due to service-related tobacco use, occupational hazards, and environmental exposures.
Respiratory diseases are a prominent health issue for veterans, with the Department of Veterans Affairs diagnosing approximately 7,700 cases of lung cancer annually among veterans and an estimated 900,000 at risk due to factors like age, smoking, and environmental conditions.
In 2023, 55% of veterans had ever smoked, compared to 32% of civilians, underscoring the need for increased lung health awareness and preventive care.
To support veterans, the American Lung Association recommends four key steps to enhance lung health:
• Get Regular Check-ups. Regular check-ups help prevent diseases, even when you are feeling well. This is especially true for lung disease, which sometimes goes undetected until its serious. During a check-up, your healthcare provider will listen to your breathing and concerns.
• Quit Smoking: The American Lung Association encourages people who smoke, vape, or use tobacco to quit during Lung Health Month. Tobacco remains the top cause of preventable death in the U.S., and e-cigarettes are not a safe or effective way to quit. Visit Lung.org/Quit-Smoking or call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) for resources. Many health insurance plans cover quit aids and counseling, and open enrollment is available until January 15, 2025, in most states. More info at www.lung.org/openenrollment.
• Take the Quiz. In the U.S. 14 million people, many of them veterans, are at high risk for lung cancer and should be screened. If you smoked, the low-dose CT lung cancer screening test could save your life. Early detection significantly increases the chance of survival. Lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer deaths, is more treatable when caught early—survival rates increase by more than four times. If you’re aged 50-80 and smoke or have quit within the past 15 years, you may be eligible for screening. Take the 2-minute quiz at SavedByTheScan.org to find out.
• Limit exposure to harmful substances. If possible, avoid environments with levels of air pollution, chemical fumes, and other lung irritants and be sure to test your home for radon, (the second leading cause of lung cancer) and mitigate if high levels are detected.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.