TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - As the government shutdown continues, many Americans are concerned, but what about veterans, will they be affected?
With more than 20 million veterans in the United States, the government shutdown can be a scary thing especially for those who use services from the Veterans Administration.
"The vets you know ask me once a week, 'hey is this going to effect us' and not to my knowledge and again we at Leon County continue to work everyday," said Ben Bradwell, Veteran Service Manager in Leon County.
Bradwell does not see the VA being effected anytime soon and actually says most veterans he speaks with are not too concerned.
"If they ever get to the point where they are shutting everything down, that will be one of the last things effected," said Joe West, President of Vietnam Veterans of America, Big Bend Chapter 96.
Although local veteran services and veterans say they are not feeling the effect of the government shutdown, WTXL's Political Expert Dr. Ed Moore said the VA could see problems in the future if the shutdown drags on.
"When you think of the VA and the VA hospital medical care workers, they are in high demand, they will leave working for the VA and go work somewhere else," said Dr. Moore. "The long term impact of this is, its not a short term fix when they come back everything will settle in okay it's gonna get worse."
There are about 19,000 veterans in Leon County and the resource center served about 6,500 veterans and their dependents in 2017.
