Diné veterans call meeting over housing delays, broken promises
SANOSTEE, N.M.
Navajo veterans organizing a reservation-wide meeting here say the gathering is intended to confront what they describe as a growing disconnect between long-standing veteran policies and the reality many veterans face after returning home.
Despite decades of veteran-focused legislation, many Navajo veterans say they continue to encounter bureaucratic hurdles, particularly in accessing housing and post-service support.
The meeting is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2026, at the Sanostee Veterans Memorial Building, according to longtime advocate and U.S. Army veteran Elouise Brown.
Brown, along with Capt. Christina Benally, said the meeting is open to all veterans and is intended to provide a direct forum for raising concerns with Navajo Nation leaders and veterans officials.
Brown said frustration has grown among veterans who feel repeated promises have not materialized.
“Mistreatment and just promises that were given to them that’s not happening,” Brown said, pointing to unresolved housing benefits and accessibility modifications. “Some of them were supposed to get their handicap rails and stuff like that, bathroom showers for handicaps, and that’s not happening.”
Brown said the concerns extend beyond any single chapter or agency, prompting organizers to invite senior leadership. They have requested the attendance of President Buu Nygren, Vice President Richelle Montoya, Navajo Nation Veterans Administration leadership and all 24 Council delegates.
To read the full article, please see the Jan. 2, 2026, edition of the Navajo Times.
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