Every state has its own independent benefit plan for veterans who have been injured or are unable to function at the same capacity as before they went to war. This patchwork system forces vulnerable families to make agonizing choices. A military family should never have to uproot their entire life and relocate to a completely different state just because that state happens to offer better property tax exemptions, healthcare supplements, or caregiver support.

Wounded veterans and their loved ones have already paid a massive price. It is hard enough for families to adapt their lives to care for a spouse, son, or daughter who came home changed by war. It is an added cruelty that society makes them navigate an administrative nightmare, leaving their financial stability and quality of life up to a geographic lottery.

Taking care of our broken and traumatized heroes should be a seamless, automatic federal standard across the entire country. The quality of a veteran's care should be guaranteed by the nation they fought for, regardless of the zip code they live in.

Cathy Gray 

Proud Supporter and Caregiver