Florida Still the Go-to Place for Vets

Florida Still the Go-to Place for Vets

November 10, 2008
Orlando Sentinel

Old Soldiers never die -- they just move to Florida.

It is a durable trend reflected in great numbers after World War II, recently reinforced by the military men and women who served in Afghanistan and Iraq and who are again making the state their home.

Florida's intrinsic amenities and expanded veterans' services are magnets that have boosted the state past Texas for the second-largest veteran population at 1.75 million, according to the latest tally. Only California is home to more veterans, with 2.1 million. But the Sunshine State is the hot draw. Even as the nation's veteran population withered 16.5 percent since 1980, Florida increased its ranks by nearly 400,000.

Forecasters predict the state will surpass California within 20 years.

"The Southeast, and Florida in particular, is an attractive region for military veterans and retirees," said Jay Agg, national communications director for AMVETS, noting that the state has one of the organization's fastest-growing and most active departments.

"Florida is already renowned as a friendly and hospitable retiree destination, but it is also a draw for veterans and military retirees because of its significant military community," Agg said.

Adding to that allure, say advocates for veterans, has been the lack of a state income tax, a generally strong economy and mild winters.

Across Central Florida, veteran tallies eclipse 1980 totals: Orange County, for example, now boasts 77,947 veterans, up from 68,100 in 1980; Seminole has 38,802 veterans, up from 28,670; and Volusia is home to 57,809 vets, up from 41,139.

They are among the men and women who will be honored Tuesday, Veterans Day.

Many World War II veterans headed south after the war. It was a migration pattern mirrored in the 1980 and 1990 U.S. censuses, with retiring vets favoring the amenities of the Pacific Northwest and Sun Belt states, according to one study.

Last year, America was home to 9.3 million veterans 65 and older. In Florida, almost half of the state's veterans -- 760,000 -- are more than 65 years old.

But younger veterans -- there were 1.9 million in the U.S. younger than 35 in 2007 -- also are responding to the lure of the South.

"The demographics of Florida's veteran population are changing due to the passing of our older World War II-era population and the addition of younger veterans who claim Florida as their home state," said Steven Murray, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and current communications director for the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs.

About 160,000 veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan call Florida home, he said.

Demand for services

The unrelenting southerly shift has increased demand for veterans' health care in the Sun Belt. In response, the VA has opened new outpatient clinics throughout Florida and OK'd new hospitals, including one scheduled to open in Orlando in 2012.

Already, state VA officials are seeing the first waves of younger veterans who are settling here and needing services. Last year, 14,338 Florida veterans sought VA treatment, including 2,250 in Orlando.

Murray said the state is well-situated to handle that burden.

"Our biggest challenge is reaching out to our state's veterans," he said. "There are many federal, state and local agencies available to assist veterans and their families as they transition out of the military."

He recommends veterans begin by contacting their county veteran-service office. Staff members can inform them of benefits "earned by virtue of their military service," he said. Such services include health care, job opportunities, housing and financial assistance.

Ready for the influx

Timothy W. Liezert, director of the Orlando VA Medical Center, is confident that Central Florida can support the sure-to-swell numbers of recent veterans who will call Florida home.

One team has been hired to deal directly with veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, he said.

"With the new medical center coming to the Lake Nona area," Liezert said, "they may see this as an opportunity to get the best care in the world and an opportunity for jobs as well."

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Now for regular veterans this may be very true, but totally disabled veterans have other options when it comes to additional benefits, that some states provide above and beyond regular living and costs.

I retired to South Carolina to allow my wife to be closer to the grandchildren near Columbia, the state capitol. I did not become 100% P&T until a few years after we moved here and the award opened doors I never knew existed until then.

Many states like South Carolina and Georgia have NO property taxes for totally disabled veterans, no vehicle taxes up to 2 vehicles, college tuition for your children, special license plates for the vehicles that allow you to not have to feed parking meters, free access to state parks, I encourage all veterans to research the states veterans sites and learn what is available in the states they are considering moving to for retirement. I myself do not like Dorn VA Medical Center, and I travel to the Charlie Norwood VA Medical center in Augusta Ga about 70 miles away, I understand Charleston VA has decent service but it is farther away than Augusta where I get excellent service and treatment.

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