,,iv  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #dhc  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of
 ,,representatives  ,july #aj1 #bjai,mr4
 ,gallagher 7for himself and ,mr4 ,kind7
 submitted the following resolution2    
which was referred to the ,committee on 
,veterans' ,affairs  ,,resolution       
,recognizing the importance and         
effectiveness of veteran-to-veteran     
sponsorship programs4  ,whereas         
approximately #bjj1jjj veterans         
discharge from the military every year1 
many experiencing difficulty            
transitioning from active duty to       
civilian life2 ,whereas many veterans   
experience a heightened risk for        
depression1 isolation1 post-traumatic   
stress disorder1 confusion1 or suicidal 
ideation during the transition period2  
,whereas evidence-based practices such  
as veteran-to-veteran peer support have 
proven to be effective in easing the    
transition to civilian life2 ,whereas   
the ,national ,alliance on ,mental      
,illness has recognized that            

veteran-to-veteran counseling increases 
self-esteem1 social functioning1 and    
life satisfaction2 ,whereas the         
,veterans ,health ,administration of the
 ,department of ,veterans ,affairs has  
recognized that veteran-to-veteran      
counseling improves social functioning1 
quality of life1 independence1 ability  
to deal with mental illness1            
communication skills1 employment        
outcomes1 and the effectiveness of the  
mental health delivery system2 ,whereas 
peer-to-peer veteran sponsorship        
programs help establish a welcoming     
environment that is more conducive for a
 positive transition to civilian life2  
,whereas veteran-to-veteran sponsorship 
programs are not an intervention1 but a 
guiding hand to assist veterans2        
,whereas the ,federal ,government can   
aid in mitigating emotional1 physical1  
and social challenges for veterans      
struggling with transition through      
support for veteran-to-veteran          
sponsorship programs2 and ,whereas      

veteran-to-veteran sponsorship programs 
have been established in communities in 
,northeastern ,wisconsin and throughout 
the ,state1 by a variety of entities    
including--  7#a7 ,brown ,county1       
,wisconsin1 which hosts the ,northeast  
,wisconsin ,battalion1 one of the first 
veteran-to-veteran sponsorship programs 
of its kind in the ,state2  7#b7 the #gb
 ,county ,veterans ,service ,officers   
serving every county of ,wisconsin1 and 
#aa ,tribal ,veterans ,service ,officers
 serving ,native ,american veterans1 who
 are examples of veterans helping       
veterans2  7#c7 ,la ,crosse1 ,wisconsin1
 home to the ,la ,crosse ,area ,veterans
 ,mentor ,program 7,,lavmp7 which offers
 peer-to-peer mentorship and support for
 veterans struggling with substance     
abuse1 homelessness1 and social         
reintegration1 offering support through 
,veterans ,treatment ,courts1 a ,veteran
 ,community ,health ,worker1 ,peer      
,support ,specialists1 and initiating a 
,peer ,advisory for ,veteran ,education 

program at ,western ,technical ,college2
  7#d7 the ,department of ,veterans     
,affairs1 which offers a transition     
specialist program1 acknowledging the   
necessity of assisting veterans         
transition to civilian life2  7#e7      
,outagamie ,county1 ,wisconsin1 which is
 home to a veteran-focused nonprofit1   
,veterans' ,mentor ,group1 to support   
other veterans1 recruit new veteran     
mentors1 provide training and coordinate
 with the ,veterans ,treatment ,court   
,coordinator1 in addition to being a    
resource for other veterans from within 
the community who may find themselves in
 need2  7#f7 the military1 which offers 
transition assistance programs to assist
 veterans with the transition to        
civilian life2  7#g7 the ,university of 
,wisconsin ,system1 which offers ,vets  
for ,vets1 a student organization of    
veterans for veterans to assist with    
counseling and benefit information2     
7#h7 the ,university of ,wisconsin      
,madison1 which offers ,peer ,advisory  

for ,veteran ,education 7,,pave71 a     
peer-to-peer advising program that helps
 student veterans connect with other    
veterans1 transition to college1 and    
meet their personal and academic goals2 
and  7#i7 the ,fox ,valley ,technical   
,college1 as well as many ,university of
 ,wisconsin campuses1 which offer       
,student ,veterans of ,america ,chapters
 which are student-based mentoring      
programs3 ,now1 therefore1 be it  ,that 
the ,house of ,representatives-- 7#a7   
recognizes the importance1              
effectiveness1 and need for             
veteran-to-veteran sponsorship programs 
among existing programs and agencies of 
the ,federal ,government2 and  7#b7     
encourages the use and practice of      
veteran to-veteran programs within the  
,federal ,government and ,congress4