Missouri is home to over 350,000 veterans and several installations, including Fort Leonard Wood and Whiteman Air Force Base. Scott Air Force Base is just over the border. Our veterans, members of the military, and their families deserve better service from our state, including from our Attorney General’s Office. As Attorney General, I will:

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1. Advocate for expanded spousal reciprocity offerings in Missouri. Military families are often on the move and make so many sacrifices for our country. Military spouses who work in state-licensed jobs should not have to give up their careers every time they move out of state. We will work with national networks and Missouri government to expand opportunities for military spouses to continue their careers in our state.

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2. Fight for adequate housing for members of the military. At several installations, military families were moved into substandard privatized housing, which included the presence of mold and hazards. Our families deserve much better. Housing enforcement will be a major focus of our office, and we will make sure our military families are not subjected to unsafe living conditions.

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3. Improve services for small business owners. Many thousands of veterans and many military spouses start small businesses. Small businesses are driving economic and job growth in Missouri, but their owners regularly report dissatisfaction with the support they receive from our state. We need to make the process of starting and maintaining a business in Missouri more intuitive and more supported. Streamlining paperwork, licensing, reporting, and the taxing process will open economic opportunity for more Missourians, including our veterans.

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4. Expand the pro bono legal services program offered to veterans and members of the military. The Attorney General’s Office can provide helpful legal services, and, by coordinating with more agencies and law school clinics, can offer a more streamlined approach to getting veterans, service members, and their families the services they need.

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5. Create a partnership between state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community partners to connect veterans, active duty military, and families to a wide range of services. We can provide improved legal, physical and mental health, counseling, treatment, business, and housing services by developing strong partnerships throughout our state. Our Attorney General should be actively present in communities all over Missouri and make the Attorney General’s Office one of many access points for veterans, military members, and their families to a wide range of services. The Attorney General’s Office can be a model access point for others in government.

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6. Advocate for expanded health care access and disability benefits for veterans. Many veterans lack health care because they make too much money to qualify for VA services, but too little to afford private insurance. The federal government has also been slow to cover injuries sustained by veterans while they were deployed, like the ongoing issues related to burn pits. Our veterans deserve health care, and, as Attorney General, I will fight for their access to treatment and compensation every day.