Keisha Lance Bottoms wants Georgia to become the best state for veterans

Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms visited the Rollins Veterans Center on Tuesday ahead of Veterans Day, meeting with veterans and nonprofit leaders to hear about issues facing Georgia’s veterans.

Bottoms has said she wants to make Georgia the best state in the country for veterans and military families. During Tuesday’s visit, she said she wants to find ways for the state to work alongside organizations already serving veterans.

“I have just been searching for ways that we can be the best partners possible in helping fill in the gaps and do whatever we can do from the state perspective,” Bottoms said.

The Rollins Veterans Center in Atlanta provides transitional housing for Georgians who served in the military.

The Veterans Empowerment Organization operates the center, providing veterans with emergency housing and helping them find long-term housing once they are stable.

Staff members said women veterans are the fastest-growing population at the facility.

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Bottoms’ plans include expanding skill translation so military experience counts toward civilian licenses and credentials. She has also proposed accelerating the hiring of veterans into state government and high-demand industries and providing targeted tax relief for veterans and military retirees.

“Working toward how we can do everything that we can do on behalf of all of you all,” Bottoms said.

A Veterans Empowerment Organization leader described the group’s approach as building community first, providing housing and focusing on veterans’ spirit, mind and body, along with workforce development.

One veteran described how VEO helped him rebuild his life.

“I finally came into VEO, and they changed my life,” the veteran said. “They made it a lot better. They actually took a homeless veteran off the street and made him a facility manager.”

Bottoms has also proposed strengthening child care, mental health care, employment support for military spouses and school transition assistance for military families.

She has said veterans’ housing and health care, along with suicide prevention and homelessness, will be priorities for her administration.

“This is really important work,” Bottoms said.

Bottoms told veterans and nonprofit leaders that she looks forward to working with them after taking office.