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Veterans Advisory Committee February 25, 2026 Page 4 OLD BUSINESS a. Update by Chair Doolittle on information for veteran homelessness and veteran suicide in Hawai‘i County. Chair M Doolittle: been in contact with VA trying to understand demographics on suicide and homeless numbers. They continually refuse to answer the question. Not making progress on suicide. VA taking position, going to deal with problems through attrition. J Sze: don’t see VA taking action. Causing harm at community level by inaction. The goal is not to change the VA, the goal is to create community programs to navigate with the veteran. Most basic thing we can do is provide community, that can be the difference. T Wojszynski: have you asked your peers about their feelings about existing veterans organizations? Majority of those organizations have veterans services. At a grassroots level many of those organizations are doing community outreach. Outreach opportunities exist on island. As an advisory committee its our role to help promote those grassroots levels. J Sze: most of the VFW age group is the older generation and they are unwilling to target the younger generation. There needs to be a change in how they operate. Brought what I am doing to both VFW and American Legion and neither organization wanted to get involved. T Wojszynski: as an American Legion post, we see the younger generation as part of our survival. Trying to figure out why doesn’t the younger generation want to reach out to the American Legion? J Sze: because hurting. Went to war, came home with PTSD, depression, anxiety and no one takes generation seriously. Did a study over the last six months and the data supports what I have been telling you guys. T Wojszynski: not disagreeing. Would love to see the data. Seems to be a hesitancy of the younger generation to reach out and struggling with, are we giving the perception that you’re not wanted? We want to fix that. J Sze: through the lense of trauma, if you’ve gone through something and your really struggling and you reach out to an organization that’s supposed to be there to help you and not only do you get turned away but you get gaslit, we no longer want to reach out to anyone. Not reaching out anymore, because it hurts. A lot of people are so hurt by what the VA or vet center has done to them that they don’t want to reach out for help again. Chair M Doolittle: one of the things about VFW, DAV, American Legion, if you don’t get into being a member them you don’t really have any advocacy power within the group. You’ve gotta have membership. You can’t change anything unless your on the inside. Will talk to Denise Link at vet center about concerns Josh raised. J Sze: employee at vet center was stealing from veterans. He was fired because of it.