Wisconsin Veterans Deserve More: Highlights from the 2025 Legislative Roundtable

John Reuter
Oct 11
3 min read

🇺🇸 A Shared Commitment to Wisconsin’s Veterans

Wisconsin’s veteran community came together this October to strengthen the programs that matter most — housing, education, employment, and healthcare.

The 2025 Wisconsin Veteran Legislative Roundtable gathered state leaders, lawmakers, veteran service organizations (VSOs), and local advocates with one mission in mind: ensuring no veteran falls through the cracks.

This event highlighted Wisconsin’s ongoing commitment to modernizing outdated policies and expanding access to the veteran benefits and resources Wisconsin veterans have earned.

🏠 Housing & Homelessness

Preventing veteran homelessness in Wisconsin remains one of the top priorities for state and local leaders.

Discussions focused on how to use underutilized state buildings and local housing programs in Dane County, Madison, and Sun Prairie to provide immediate shelter for veterans, especially during Wisconsin’s cold winter months.

Another major topic was reforming the Aid-to-Needy-Veterans Grant, which has excluded too many veterans due to outdated eligibility rules.

Goal: Simplify access, update funding guidelines, and ensure that no Wisconsin veteran is left without a safe home.

🎓 Education & Tuition Assistance

The roundtable discussed modernizing the Wisconsin GI Bill and the National Guard Tuition Grant to ensure fairness between public and private universities.

Participants emphasized reducing residency restrictions so relocating veterans can quickly qualify for Wisconsin veteran education benefits.

These reforms would make it easier for Wisconsin National Guard members and student veterans to continue their education while staying close to home.

💼 Employment & Licensing

Employment opportunities for veterans were another major discussion point. Many employers remain hesitant to hire National Guard members due to deployment concerns.

The Veteran Employment Grant Program was highlighted as outdated and in need of modernization. Participants proposed increasing incentive amounts, simplifying application processes, and expanding interstate licensing compacts to help veterans transition into civilian jobs in Wisconsin.

🩺 Healthcare & Veteran Identification

Healthcare providers across Dane County and Wisconsin were encouraged to implement the “Have You Ever Served?” question during medical intake.

This simple step helps identify veterans who may not be enrolled in the VA system and connects them to veteran healthcare benefits, mental health support, and Wisconsin VA clinics.

🗳️ Advocacy & Legislative Communication

Advocacy and communication were key themes throughout the event.

Leaders agreed that lawmakers should be more visible at veteran events in Wisconsin, particularly in Madison, Waunakee, and Sun Prairie, to strengthen community trust.

A new legislative alert network and veteran advocacy calendar were proposed to share updates and coordinate efforts across Wisconsin veteran organizations.

⚙️ Unified Strategic Takeaways

Housing

Action: Reopen and fund transitional housing (VHRP) through local partnerships.
Impact: Reduce veteran homelessness in Wisconsin and maintain community ties.

Education

Action: Correct tuition inequities and reduce residency requirements for veteran students.
Impact: Expand access to higher education for Wisconsin veterans and National Guard members.

Employment

Action: Update incentive programs and address Guard-related scheduling barriers.
Impact: Strengthen Wisconsin’s veteran workforce and increase employer participation.

Healthcare

Action: Implement the “Have You Ever Served?” question across healthcare systems.
Impact: Identify and support veterans who may not be connected to VA programs.

Advocacy & Communication

Action: Launch a statewide legislative alert system and veteran advocacy calendar.
Impact: Build stronger relationships between Wisconsin veterans, legislators, and community leaders.

🪖 Next Steps

Share this summary with VSOs, local partners, and Wisconsin legislative offices.
Prioritize updates to Wisconsin veteran benefit programs and funding systems.
Establish the proposed legislative alert network and advocacy calendar.
Reconvene within 60–90 days to track progress and continue collaboration.

💭 Final Thoughts

This roundtable made one thing clear: Wisconsin veterans deserve more.

From Madison to Milwaukee and from Waunakee to Sun Prairie, our communities stand together to ensure that every veteran has access to the housing, education, healthcare, and employment resources they’ve earned.