By A.J. Kaufman, Managing Editor
Surveys show that veterans of the armed forces constitute roughly 13% of Northeast Tennessee and the Tri-Cities. Whether it’s the beautiful surroundings, low taxes, or the patriotic nature of its residents, those who serve our nation like to call the Appalachian Highlands home.
But many veterans struggle after transitioning out of the military — not just missing the camaraderie, but especially understanding what resources are available and the benefits they’ve earned.
NETVETS is a support group with a mission to have a direct impact on veterans, their families and their legacies by providing a hub of centralized resources. Chosen for its centralized location in Kingsport, but branching out to Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina, its aim in part to “create an atmosphere and a community of support resulting in Veteran resiliency.”
There is a direct focus on four pillars — physical wellness, financial wellness, resilience, and connectedness — to keep resources and attention focused on what matters most.
The Business Journal sat down in late October for an extensive talk with three retired military officers — Col. Miles Burdine, Capt. Travis Featherstone and Brig. Gen. Mitch Richardson — who are leading initial efforts for a major project on that front, with the help of Tri-Cities developers Danny and Carla Karst.
“What we said is, ‘wouldn’t it be cool if we could create a connected tissue for all those resources to connect to the veterans’”? Richardson, who served 32 years in the U.S. Air Force, explained to the Business Journal. “We tried to bring as many of the resources as possible, but more importantly, the processes, into a brick-and-mortar, so that when the veteran needs something, we can help them through the processes of accessing these resources and benefits.”
There is a property near FedEx and Tri-Cities Crossing in Kingsport. Burdine noted that Tennessee Veterans Homes has for years wanted to build a facility in Northeast Tennessee. The group met at the property and started brainstorming about what could be and offered ideas. The Karsts and will donate the property to the project, which is called Project Serve.
“In late June, Carla and I started to shift our direction with our properties at the Gateway Commerce Park after visiting with Miles Burdine and Julie Bennett and sensing their passion and the identifiable need for helping women and men who struggle with drug addiction and thus the need for in-house therapy,” Karst shared with the Business Journal. “That small spark morphed into the potential placement of Tennessee State Veterans Homes and then onto NETVETS, to which we remain hopeful to donate 7-plus acres.”
Featherstone, who served in the U.S. Army, believes that many resources are scattered across the region in various cities, often lacking a brick-and-mortar setting. Project Serve will be a central location.
“Through our pillars, we are looking at how to capture all the veterans, or their families, who have needs as well,” he explained. “Whether they’re transitioning from military service, or they’re 10 years out trying to advance their career, or trying to figure out how to get my family financially stable. You might have an aspect of homelessness or food insecurity or medical needs. That’s really where we came in. What if we created this veteran wellness center that was able to hit on all these? It wasn’t just a medical thing or a community-based thing, but it kind of incorporated all of that.”
They traveled around the country looking at veterans’ organizations to see what they’re doing well or not doing well.
“It’s going to be top of the line, and Tennessee has done it better than everybody,” Richardson added during the meeting. “For us to have this consolidation of resources and processes, it will attract more and more veterans. Everyone wants to come to this area. From a veterans’ perspective, there’s already a lot of good reasons to come here and you start dropping in this campus concept, I think it’s going to be a beacon for veterans across the United States to come here.”
The current goal for the campus is a $150 million project, to include a 135-bed facility with 200 employees.
“Our company and our family, we’d like to do something like this. We hope it works out and we can be a small part,” Karst said. “It’s gonna take a lot of heavy lifting on a lot of people’s part.”
As a whole, the endeavor includes NETVETS, Tennessee State Veterans Homes, Workforce Homes/Landstar Partners and others in the early stages of participation.
“Veterans want to live here, and we want them to live here. They need us. We need them,” Burdine, who serves as President and CEO of the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, told the Business Journal. “The economic impact of Project Serve, as it is being built, will be significant to our region and the impact that follows will be meaningful for many years. Most importantly, however, is what it means to our veterans. We are already well known as a patriotic, safe, welcoming and economical region in which to live. And we offer strong healthcare opportunities from our many providers, hospitals and, of course, our Mountain Home VA Medical System. Project Serve will offer even more ammunition to our region’s armory. All of the many who are involved recognize there will be many obstacles. Bring them. Send them. Obstacles are opportunities to improve. Adversity is life’s greatest teacher, and the Appalachian Highlands is full of star pupils.”
