By: James Martinez
I’ve worn the uniform, and I’ve seen what happens when veterans come home and face a different kind of battle, one with paperwork, red tape and systems that don’t always work for them. Here in “Military City, USA,” too many veterans are still fighting to access the benefits, housing and stability they’ve rightfully earned.
At the San Antonio Legal Services Association, we meet veterans every day who have been denied VA benefits, are struggling with unresolved discharge statuses or have minor records that block access to jobs or housing. They’re the quiet barriers that often make rebuilding life after service harder than it should be for these heroes.
San Antonio is home to more than 90,000 veterans and Texas is home to more than 1.5 million veterans, the second largest population in the country. Many don’t know where to turn when faced with these issues and when legal assistance is completely out of reach.
Civil legal aid helps break those barriers down. It provides San Antonio’s 90,000 veterans a compass to navigate complicated systems with dignity and without overburdening the courts or taxpayers. In 2024 alone, SALSA’s Veterans Legal Advice Clinic resolved 219 cases for 433 veterans and family members, securing more than $250,000 in benefits helping families staying housed, healthy and on their feet. SALSA isn’t an army of one. Volunteer attorneys gave more than 2,250 pro bono hours across SALSA programs this year, clearly proving that when the legal community steps up, lives change.
Texas Veterans Legal Aid Week, happening November 10-16, connects veterans with free legal support statewide. In San Antonio and beyond, legal aid organizations, law schools and volunteer attorneys will host clinics to provide assistance in person and virtually. In San Antonio, we will be hosting the Veterans Peace of Mind Legal Clinic on Wednesday, Nov. 12 from 4 to 8 p.m. Veterans interested in applying can call (210) 764-9119 or apply online at sa-lsa.org/veterans to determine financial eligibility.
This is our call to service and it’s about readiness for our veterans. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports that four of the top ten unmet needs among homeless veterans are legal in nature. Legal aid addresses those problems before they become crises.
I’m an Air Force veteran, the son and grandson of veterans and a lifelong San Antonian. I know the pride and challenges that come with service. And I believe our community has a responsibility to serve those who’ve already served us.
Veterans: reach out for legal assistance. Attorneys: take a case. Community leaders: support our work.
Every veteran deserves fair access to legal help that protects their home, health and future. Let’s continue to make that promise a reality in San Antonio.
James Martinez is the executive director of the San Antonio Legal Services Association and a U.S. Air Force veteran.