According to VA’s Office of Rural Health, almost 25 percent of veterans in the United States returned from active duty to rural communities. That equates to about 4.4 million veterans in rural communities. There are a number of reasons why veterans choose to live in rural communities, such as closer proximity to family, friends and community; open space for recreation; more privacy; lower cost of living; or less crowded towns and schools. While there are many benefits to living in rural communities, there are also some challenges.
Rural veterans and their families, like other rural residents, often face difficulties in accessing health care and other services. Some of those challenges are fewer physician practices as well as hospitals and other health delivery resources, greater geographic distance barriers, limited broadband internet, and compared to urban areas, a larger population of older residents. In rural areas there are fewer housing, education, employment, and transportation options. All of these challenges create barriers for rural veterans and caregivers in receiving the health care and other services they need.
Farmer Veteran Coalition
Farmer Veteran Coalition cultivates a new generation of farmers and food leaders and develops viable employment and meaningful careers through the collaboration of the farming and military communities.
Reaching Rural Veterans | The Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University
Reaching rural veterans is a collaboration with faith-based food pantries in rural areas, bringing communities together to provide resources and services that address the needs of military and veteran families.
The Rural Veteran Outreach Toolkit
Using the Rural Veteran Outreach Toolkit can increase partnerships between VA and rural communities and enhance VA’s ultimate goal of "improving the quality of life for veterans who live in rural communities."
USDA Supports America’s Heroes
USDA’s veterans website serves as a one-stop navigator for veterans looking to learn more about employment, education, and entrepreneurship on or beyond the farm.
Veterans to Farmers
Veterans to Farmers helps assist veterans to assimilate effectively, productively, and permanently into private citizenry through agricultural training and education. Veteran classmates work alongside each other, learning new skills and experiencing the grounding effects of the farm.
Veterans Health Administration’s Office of Rural Health
Congress established the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Rural Health (ORH) in 2006 (38 USC § 7308) to conduct, coordinate, promote and disseminate research on issues that affect the nearly five million veterans who reside in rural communities.