State Budget Increases to Benefit Veteran Services

DVA was well represented at Governor Tony Evers budget address at the State Capitol last week. In addition to Secretary-designee James Bond, special guests included Jim Larson, a veteran and a successful graduate of WDVA’s Veterans Outreach and Recovery Program (VORP), and VORP Program Supervisor Cal Stammer. The budget announcement highlights a massive investment in Wisconsin veterans.

The Governor’s proposed 2023-25 biennial budget includes an expansion of WDVA services such as VORP and more tax relief for disabled veterans. The increased financial support will allow WDVA to help more struggling Wisconsin veterans like Jim Larson succeed in overcoming homelessness, unemployment, substance abuse, mental health struggles, and prevent more veteran suicides.  

These additional biennial budgetary investments build upon the recommendations by the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Veteran Opportunity from late last year that included an initial infusion of $10 million dollars in support of our state’s veterans.

Highlights of specific items in the new 2023-25 biennial budget for WDVA include:

• Expanding the Veteran Outreach and Recovery Program (VORP) by 7 full time positions and with funding to provide increased outreach mental health services to veterans, substance recovery, lower the suicide rate among veterans, housing, and other services.
• An expansion of opportunities at all existing sites of the Veterans Housing and Recovery Program (VHRP).
• Providing funding to all three state veterans homes to address their ongoing needs so that each home has adequate resources and staffing to provide the best possible care to the most vulnerable veterans in Wisconsin.
• Increasing eligibility for the Veterans and Surviving Spouses Property Tax Credit by extending eligibility to those with a disability rating of at least 70 percent.

All details and a full list of items included in the Governor’s budget benefiting Wisconsin veterans can be found here.

*Pictured: Secretary-designee James Bond, veteran Jim Larson, and VORP program supervisor Cal Stammer.

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VORP Spotlight:

Cal Stammer

Meet Cal Stammer, Program Supervisor for WDVA’s Veteran Outreach and Recovery Program (VORP). 

Cal has been with the Department for 8 years and is currently one of two program supervisors that coordinates VORP efforts across Wisconsin. 

His most rewarding part of working with VORP is seeing veterans, and those that are still serving in the guard or reserves, achieve their goals in life with the assistance of the WDVA and partner agencies.

"I work in VORP because I served with so many Iraq and Afghanistan veterans that are struggling since they left the military," says Stammer. "It motivates me to assist veterans around the state who are also struggling with their mental health." 

His motivation is also personal after the loss of his uncle, also a veteran, to suicide while Cal was deployed in Iraq. 

"The VORP program did not exist at that time, and his death deeply affected our family," he says. "I can't help but think he would have benefited from VORP and the solid support network we have in place today."

Besides leading his team at VORP, Cal enjoys teaching classes to groups, veterans, and families around the state about Question Persuade Refer (QPR), suicide prevention tools, and other resources.

Cal is a veteran of the Army and served from 2008-2012 with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Cal can be reached at: 608.733.1791, or Calvin.Stammer@dva.wi.gov