The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs signed a formal agreement with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians that will provide increased resources dedicated to supporting the tribe’s veterans in accessing their earned federal and state veterans’ benefits.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on June 27 by Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs (ODVA) Director Nakeia Council Daniels and Tribal Council Chairman Delores Pigsley.
Tribal government leaders and representatives, tribal veterans and ODVA staff gathered to commemorate the historic partnership at the formal signing at ODVA’s headquarters in Salem.
“Oregon’s Tribal veterans have long served with honor and distinction, and it is our responsibility to ensure they receive the care and recognition they have earned,” Daniels said. “By partnering with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, we are committing to a future where Siletz veterans are served in a way that honors their stories, their service and their sovereign identity. We’re proud to walk alongside the Tribe in building something that will truly make a difference in the lives of their veterans and families.”
The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians is a federally recognized confederation of 27 bands, originating from Northern California to Southern Washington. Termination was imposed upon the Siletz by the United States government in 1955, but in November 1977, they were the first Tribe in Oregon and second in the United States to be fully restored to federal recognition, according to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The Tribe manages a 3,666-acre reservation located in Lincoln County, Ore.
The newly established agreement will pave the way for the establishment of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians’ first Tribal Veterans Service Officer, which will be jointly funded by ODVA and the Tribe to serve Siletz veterans and their families.
Tribal Veteran Service Officers will be trained by ODVA and then accredited by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs through a series of regular trainings facilitated by both agencies, which will enable them to assist veterans and their families with accessing a range of benefits and services earned through military service.
Tribal Veteran Service Officers will be able to provide a wide variety of benefits and services to veterans and their family members, including the development and submission of claims to the federal VA for earned veteran benefits.
“I am excited for the future of our honored Tribal veterans and the opportunity this brings to them,” Pigsley said. “Not only to support them but to help advocate for them. This memorandum with the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs is more than a collaboration or a partnership. It’s a commitment to honoring and empowering those who have served our nation. Their deep-rooted connection to the veteran community and unwavering dedication to their well-being make them a trusted and invaluable partner.”
According to the Department of Defense, more than 24,000 of the 1.2 million current active-duty service members are Native Americans.
Since 9/11, almost 19 percent of all Native Americans have served in the armed forces, compared to an average of 14 percent of all other ethnicities.
Oregon’s statewide network of County and Tribal Veteran Service Offices is a collaborative partnership between the state and counties or Tribal governments to provide free, local expertise and assistance to veterans and their families in accessing their earned benefits.
The Memorandum of Understanding is ODVA’s sixth with Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes, including the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians and, most recently, the Coquille Indian Tribe in May.