‘Thank you for your sacrifice’ Diné Naazbaa Partnership hosts first veterans stand down
Navajo Times | Nicholas House
Staff of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ mobile “Vet Center” provide information and resources for military veterans and their families at the Stand Down for Veterans and Their Families in Window Rock on Feb. 22.
TÓ ŁIZHIN, N.M. – Veterans gathered in Tségháhoodzání for support, camaraderie, and aid at Diné Naazbaa Partnership’s Stand Down for Veterans and Their Families.
The Diné Naazbaa Partnership, a branch of America’s Warrior Partnership, hosted an inaugural Stand Down for Veterans and Their Families on Feb. 22, bringing together more than 200 veterans and their families at the Navajo Nation Veterans Memorial Park. The event provided resources, food boxes, cases of water, and support to Navajo veterans, aiming to bridge gaps in accessibility and awareness of available services. AWP is a non-profit that aims to prevent veteran suicide.
Welcoming atmosphere
Veterans arriving at the event were greeted with a welcoming atmosphere that emphasized community, respect, and recognition of their service. Two hundred pre-registered veterans received food boxes, an offering given the challenges many face in the expansive and often underserved Diné Bikéyah. Attendees also had the opportunity to connect with organizations providing benefits assistance, health care resources, and other essential services such as clothes.
The event underscored the unique challenges that Diné veterans experience because of the rural nature of the reservation, where many communities lack basic infrastructure such as electricity and running water.
To read the full article, please see the Feb. 27, 2025, edition of the Navajo Times.
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Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow