State grant will help incarcerated vets
Lt. Gov. announce $200K for Soldier On
Updated: Tuesday, 29 Jun 2010, 5:37 PM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 29 Jun 2010, 11:54 AM EDT
Jackie Brousseau
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) - Lt. Governor Tim Murray visited Western Massachusetts Tuesday as part of his state veterans tour.
After touring the Northampton VA and Soldier On in Leeds, Murray announced a $200,000 grant from the Department of Labor for Soldier On.
The money will go toward helping incarcerated veterans transition back into society.
"About 12-15 percent of all men and women in prison in America are veterans. So there is a large population of veterans who come out and hit the streets untrained and not ready for work. This is going to allow us to meet that need, " said John Downing, the President and CEO of Soldier On.
The director of the Northampton VA expressed concern about new soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan getting the services they need.
For more information about getting veterans services, click here.