Veterans and Digital Equity

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act identifies Veterans as one of eight “covered populations” and encourages states to research and address the barriers Veterans face in accessing, adopting, and benefiting from internet access and other digital technologies. States’ digital equity plans acknowledge the common challenges facing Veterans and other covered populations while also developing strategies to address the unique needs of Veterans. Some states have revamped existing programs (e.g., adapting an existing digital literacy program to improve the means of outreach and potential partnership with Veteran organizations), while other states have highlighted the need for new expertise (e.g., cybersecurity skills training). Some have brought attention to particularly underserved cohorts such as Veterans living in rural communities and those with lower incomes. Many states—including Colorado, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, Virginia, and West Virginia—reference leveraging existing assets and programs such as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Digital Divide Consult and Tech for Troops as options for Veterans to access connected devices and digital skills training. In our review of state digital equity plans, some common strategies emerged. These strategies demonstrate thoughtful and tactical approaches that could potentially yield valuable outcomes. State digital equity plans that are smart and savvy about Veterans’ issues are ones that do several things well. They:

• Link needs assessments to their implementation strategies,
• Leverage other state and federal agencies,
• Identify specific standout partners,
• Design a workforce strategy for Veterans, and
• Prioritize access to health care.