Stand down steadily makes progress
TROUT CREEK - Per capita, Montana has a higher percentage of military veterans than any other state in the lower 48. Of the state’s 1,000,000+ population, nearly 110,000 Montanans have served in the U.S. military. Only Alaska has a population with a higher percentage of service veterans.
For the past two years, the Tri-State Veterans Stand Down , organized by Billy Hill, of Trout Creek, has served the region’s former soldiers, sailors, airmen and other military personnel by providing veterans an opportunity to meet with representatives of the Veterans Administration, to learn about healthcare and receive other benefits they are entitled to. The annual get together, which has been held in Plains, has brought thousands of such vets to rural Sanders County for a weekend of camaraderie, to enroll for deserved VA benefits, and to receive a hand up during such economic hard times.
A big draw at these stand down events is always the redistribution, at no charge to military veterans, of military surplus clothing and gear - and the distribution of food.
The 2014 Tri-State Veterans Stand Down could not be held at the Sanders Country Fairgrounds in Plains this year and for this year, Hill has moved it to the small rural community of Trout Creek, 45 miles northwest of Plains. The 2014 Tri-State Veterans Stand Down will be held on June 28, at the Trout Creek Community Park. The event will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with breakfast and lunch served at no charge.
Hill looks to possibly make Trout Creek the new home for the Tri-State Veterans Stand Down. Logistically, the small community is more challenging, with limited storage for all the surplus clothing, footwear, sleeping bags, packs, blankets, cold weather wear, and other gear that has to be shipped in for redistribution. Likewise, tents or temporary shelters will have to be erected for those VA representatives attending to work with veterans wanting to sign up for healthcare or other benefits, and for those who will be on hand to work with employment counseling.
Although the Tri-State Veterans Stand Down is purposely being scaled back this year to ease into the move to a smaller location, Hill wants to fully serve those military veterans who do attend. In addition to the VA services that will be available, he has amassed several truckloads of surplus gear to be handed back to qualified military veterans, and working with local and state food banks, he has arranged for a semi-trailer truckload of food that will also be given out.
Hill said all veterans are welcomed, whether they come for the surplus clothing and gear, the food, to learn more about VA services and benefits, for health care, to seek employment, or for the camaraderie and being with many other military veterans. There are several small motels in Trout Creek, and others within 20 miles of the stand down location, plus plenty of area camping spots.
To qualify for participating in the event, Hill said, “Just be sure to bring your form DD-214, discharge, V.A. or military I.D.!”