Emotions run high at Rep. John Duarte's latest Veteran's Town Hall in Madera

MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Congressman John Duarte held his third veteran's roundtable in Madera. It was focused on the generational issues and the divide among veterans.

Elected leaders, service providers, and a full room of Veterans young and old came together Wednesday at the Madera VFW Hall to discuss life after service.

Emotions ran high as many service members were fed up with the system for receiving services. Many poured out their hardships, sharing similar stories including Robert Gurule, a Vietnam War veteran.

"I didn't realize that there were so many people who were basically worse off than me. It just brought back memories, that's all," says Gurule.

Gurule said he came to share his ongoing struggle to qualify for services.

"I think the veterans, especially the older veterans like me, should not have to fight for anything. I've been fighting the VA since '68 for my disability, and I still can't get 100%," says Gurule.

Also at the roundtable was Raul Medrano. He served in the Army for eight years but remains jobless and is now relying on local food banks.

"When I moved back to Central Valley, I've been having a lot of trouble with who to connect with. I graduated with my college degree, got a bachelor's, just got to MBA, and it's been difficult trying to connect trying to find those resources here in the Central Valley," says Medrano.

Yolanda Whited also served in the Army and is the daughter of a Vietnam Veteran. She's seen the challenges veterans face for generations.

"As a veteran, I would love to be taken care of when that time comes but right now, I'm the one that has to fight to make sure our veterans are taken care of. Do you think more needs to be done right now? Yes and no. It just depends on who you speak to," says Whited.

This is the third roundtable hosted by Duarte. Since the last two, he's introduced two bills focused on simplifying forms and making services more easily accessible.

"They don't need a law degree or somebody with a law degree to simply access the benefits that they've already earned. We as a society need to pay them and need to grant them," says Congressman Duarte.

But Duarte says more work still needs to be done.

Veterans who came to the town hall tell Action News they feel heard and hopeful for the future.

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