In Missouri, a state home to approximately 400,000 veterans, many who have earned federal and state benefits are not accessing them.
According to data from the Missouri Veterans Commission, about 200,000 of these individuals are currently utilizing the support systems designed for their service.
Many veterans avoid applying for aid out of a sense of altruism, believing that by stepping aside, they are leaving more for those in greater need. As Paul Kirchhoff of the Missouri Veterans Commission explained, the system is designed to scale with participation.
“Any veterans who feel, ‘Well, I’m doing fine, I don’t want to take away from a veteran who deserves it more,’ but that’s not the case. The more veterans that apply for their benefits, the more resources that are given to the VA. So it’s not taking away from another veteran, it actually helps other veterans,” said Kirchhoff.
For many, the primary hurdle is the sheer density of the bureaucratic process. The Department of Veterans Affairs operates under a complex framework that can prove daunting to those attempting to use it without guidance.
Nick Lanier, director of the University of Missouri Veterans Center, spends his time bridging this gap for veterans transitioning into higher education. He says that the complexity of the system is a feature of its design, and it often requires a translator to make sense of the eligibility requirements and application pathways.
The current state of these certifications, as tracked by the Missouri Office of Administration, highlights the limited uptake of these specific economic tools:
| Certification Category | Total Certified Businesses |
|---|---|
| Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises | 228 |
| Dual Certified (Honorably Discharged & Service-Disabled) | 8 |
| Honorably Discharged Veteran-Owned Enterprises | 5 |
To use these preferences, a business must have an active certification at the exact time of bid closing, and the products or services provided must fulfill a commercially useful function.
While the state has utilized social media and targeted event promotions to increase awareness of these programs, the low number of certified businesses suggests that many veteran entrepreneurs may not yet be aware of the competitive advantage now available to them under state law.
The economic stakes for these veterans are substantial. Benefits go far beyond simple health care, encompassing housing assistance and educational opportunities that can change the financial trajectory of a veteran’s post-service life. When these benefits go unclaimed, the individual loses out on a return on the investment they made during their years of service, and the state loses the economic activity that these resources could otherwise stimulate.
The message from those working in the field is consistent: the first step is to initiate contact with the Missouri Veterans Commission.
Whether the barrier is a perceived lack of need, a fear of taking resources from others, or simply the exhaustion of dealing with complex paperwork, the experts argue that the system is designed to be used by all who qualify. As Lanier puts it, the solution often starts with the simple act of asking for help.
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