A Lawton City Council Veterans Affairs Committee will be created to “demonstrate our commitment to honoring and supporting our veterans” and to “ensure that their unique needs are addressed comprehensively’’ The council directed city staff to prepare an ordinance that will establish the committee.
“The men and women who have served in the armed forces have made significant sacrifices for our country, and it is our responsibility as a community to ensure they receive the support and resources they deserve upon returning home,” City Manager John Ratliff wrote.
Although City Hall does provide “some services” for veterans, establishing a specialized committee “could enhance coordination, collaboration and responsiveness to the specific needs of our veteran population,” he said.
The committee would play “a crucial role in addressing the unique needs and challenges faced by our local veterans and their families,” Ratliff said.
Those issues include a comprehensive needs assessment, resource coordination, advocacy and outreach, and policy recommendations to address gaps in service, employment opportunities, health care, and housing for veterans of the armed forces.
The 14,388 military veterans counted in Comanche County by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2018-22 constituted the highest per-capita population of veterans in Oklahoma, the City Council was told.
In a related matter, 4,915 Comanche County veterans are deemed to have a permanent disability that qualifies them for an ad valorem tax exemption totaling $10.37 million. Over the past 18 years that Comanche County property tax exclusion amounted to $74.75 million, ledgers reflect.