New App Makes Michigan Veteran Resources Easier To Access

Veterans are some of the most important people to the country but if we're honest, often times they aren't treated that way. When they were wearing the uniform and risking their lives all over the world everyone had the utmost respect for them. Now that they have taken the uniform off and have returned to society in America, they are just another citizen.

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I'm not saying any group of people deserves to be treated better than others, but I do think there is something to be said when someone devotes their life to a country and that country then turns their back on them. There are tons of ways that individual communities, cities, and states show up for their veteran residents but sometimes it's not enough.

Just like any other resource we have available to us, there is only so much those resources can provide you before they run out of funds or materials. The other barrier with veterans receiving the resources they need is lack of knowledge as many veterans are unaware of how many resources are available or how to gain access to them. In response, a Mid-Michigan company created an app to make this process much easier for veterans.

Do You Know A Veteran That Is Having Trouble Finding Resources They Need?

WOOD via MSN reports:

A mid-Michigan nonprofit is looking to bring access to mental health and other veterans’ resources right to people’s phones. Matthew Leach, partnership coordinator for VETLIFE, said co-founder Josh Parish developed the Battle Buddy app after seeing the gap in resource awareness when he transitioned out of the military. “We got a number of issues of getting our veterans connected to their benefits. One, they are not very well informed of the benefits that they earned through their service. And No. 2, we don’t make it easy for those veterans to take advantage of those benefits once they are back here, once they are done with their service,” Leach said.

The Battle Buddy App isn't limited to veterans as their spouses, children, caregivers and other family members can also register for the app. The founders understand that veterans' families are a huge part of their lives and will not only help them care for the veteran in their life but also provide resources to help themselves.