Oklahoma Veterans United (OKVU) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting veterans across Oklahoma with housing services, suicide prevention resources, and employment opportunities. Built on an 80+ year legacy, OKVU officially transitioned from Community Service Council to Oklahoma Veterans United in 2024.

OKVU serves 56 (of the 77 statewide) counties across Northeastern, Central, Western, and Southwestern Oklahoma. Their goal is to empower veterans and honor their service
and sacrifice through compassionate care, personalized support, and advocacy tailored to individual needs. While they cover an extensive range of initiatives, there are two primary areas of impact; the SSVF and SSG FOX SPGP programs.

Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) is a rapid re-housing program funded by a Department of Veterans Affairs grant.
Using the Housing First model, temporary intervention and short-term assistance is provided to low-income veterans and their families who are homeless or facing eviction.
SSVF Outreach staff conducted 1631 outreach engagements from October 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026. These engagements ranged from individual outreach to homeless veterans on the street, to large veteran focused events across the state. Nearly 40% of outreach engagements targeted rural veterans with limited access to resources.
797 (49%) of all engagements focused on identifying and screening veterans through visits to encampments, street outreach or local partners/drop-in centers. 719 veterans experiencing homelessness or facing eviction secured safe housing through the SSVF program.
The SSG FOX SPGP is a Department of Veterans Affairs funded grant connecting at-risk veterans to upstream suicide prevention tools. These tools include targeted outreach events, warm hand-offs to VA clinical and administrative staff, connection to local community resources, and individualized programs to help reduce the risk of veteran suicide.
While a smaller program, the SSG FOX SPGP initiative had equally impressive outreach efforts to connect to veterans who may be at risk or contemplating suicide. From October 2025 through March 2026 the program highlights include:
• 487 veteran outreach engagements
• Collaboration with 13 organizations and partners in March 2026 alone in support of veterans needing assistance
• 47 new veterans spoke with the team regarding personal concerns
• 52 people actively participated in case management
• 99 referrals were made to local partners including Veterans Health Administration providers and local community organizations based on specific interest and needs
OKVU also has a veteran employer network that was established in 2019. The OKVU Veteran Employer Network proudly has 200+ members representing 100+ employers and distributes an annual state-wide survey to identify and recognize “Champions” who actively recruit, hire, develop, promote, and retain veterans in the workplace. At its inception, a Veteran Employer Champion Survey was established to identify and recognize businesses in Oklahoma who showed their commitment to being a veteran-ready place of work by meeting specific benchmarks.
In 2025, nineteen new employers joined the network and nineteen were awarded the employer championship badge and recognized by the mayors of Tulsa and Oklahoma City.
Veterans most often connect with OKVU by calling the Tulsa and Oklahoma City offices. However, the outreach team meets veterans where they are by connecting with them directly at encampments, veteran events or through referral partners.
OKVU is dedicated to empowering veterans as they navigate the transition to civilian life. By recognizing the strengths and experiences individuals bring, they provide the tools, resources, and opportunities needed to build lasting self-sufficiency and independence – all grounded in empathy, compassion, respect, and dignity.
Per the US Department of Veterans Affairs the following numbers reflect the need for veteran support in the state of Oklahoma:
• 278,538 veterans (as of 2024)
• 18,500 veterans earning below the poverty level (as of 2024)
• 304 homeless veterans (as of 2024)
• 126 veteran deaths by suicide (as of 2022)

OKVU has earned a Platinum Seal of Transparency through
Candid (formerly GuideStar), which reflects their commitment to transparency and accountability. They stand ready to help as many of Oklahoma’s veterans as possible. With many of their staff being veterans themselves, they will do whatever it takes to help a fellow veteran in need.
Federal grants help sustain many of the initiatives OKVU is able to provide, however there are still gaps and barriers that need to be bridged. Private donations help strengthen OKVU’s ability to plan ahead, discern where needs are greatest and to respond to urgent situations.
If you are a veteran in need or know a veteran in need, you
can reach OKVU by using the contact form on their website, calling them at 918-588-8401, 405-724-3360, 580-557-0755 or by sending an email to [email protected].
Tax deductible donations can also be made by following the donation prompts on the website: www.okvetunited.org.
A full list of available services and resources can be found on the website. • Story and photos by Jill Stephenson, Tulsa area staff writer

By Freddy Graves

It sounds like there was a lot of money to be made from Covid, at least according to investigation reports from the VA’s Office of Inspector General. Unfortunately for certain thieves, however, the OIG was all over them when the scams were revealed. The head thief in one case was a part-time pastor who was nailed on four counts of wire fraud for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) scams. He devised a scheme to apply for loans that were supposed to be used for payroll and business expenses during the Covid downturns. Not only that, but he approached and then coached church members (one of them a VA employee) on how to apply for the “free money” funds, including pretending they had actual businesses to run.
He then taught them how to apply for loan forgiveness (which was a bonus of the program if funds were actually used to pay employees) so they wouldn’t have to pay the money back. All they had to do, it seems, was to follow his instructions. It helped that he worked for a Small Business Administration-approved lender … and split the money with him.
Part of their downfall came from inflating income figures from a real tax return — which did not indicate that there was any kind of business income at all, not realizing that it would be a simple matter for one government agency to speak to another agency to verify facts. Another mistake was leaving a paper trail of emails wherein he instructed one of his church members on the steps to take to apply for the loans.
When sentenced, the pastor could get 20 years for each count of wire fraud. One coconspirator (who did not own a business) could get 60 years — 20 for each of three counts. The other (who also did not own a business but had a great paper trail
of how-to instruction emails for applying for the fraudulent loans) is cooperating and likely won’t see any jail time.

(c) 2026 King Features Synd., Inc

1920 – 1945 Tulsa Medal of Honor Recipient
By Jill Stephenson
The story of Albert Earnest Schwab is one of courage forged through hardship and a legacy sustained by family devotion and community honor.
Born on July 17, 1920, in Washington, D.C., Schwab was the oldest of five children in a troubled household. While his father was often absent due to work, his mother, a Chippewa woman, struggled in ways that deeply affected the family. They moved to Tulsa when he was six weeks old and his parents eventually divorced. Despite the challenges of his youth, Schwab found joy and excelled in sports, graduated from Tulsa High School in 1937 and briefly attended the University of Tulsa. He then went to work in the oil industry.
When military deferments were lifted during World War II, Schwab and his brother-in-law enlisted in the Marine Corps. Schwab quickly proved himself to be intelligent and driven and earned a reputation as an overachiever.
PFC Schwab served as a flamethrower operator in Okinawa, Japan. On May 7, 1945, during intense fighting in Okinawa, his unit became pinned down in a valley by machine gun fire coming from a ridge ahead. Facing relentless enemy fire, Schwab climbed the steep cliff toward the gun position. Fully exposed, he reached the emplacement and used his flamethrower to destroy the weapon and its crew. His actions allowed his company to move forward and take control of the ridge. Shortly afterward, a second machine gun opened fire, causing additional casualties and stopping the advance. Before he could refill his fuel supply, he moved forward to confront the new threat. Despite his limited resources, he successfully eliminated the second position.
As Schwab completed the attack, the enemy fired one final burst, causing fatal wounds. His fellow Marines recognized the extraordinary nature of his bravery and gathered witness accounts that would support the highest recognition of valor.
For his gallantry, Schwab was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. In
a ceremony in Tulsa on Memorial Day 1946, his medal was presented to his three-year-old son. His sacrifice would continue to be honored in the years that followed, including the naming of Camp Schwab on Okinawa in 1959 and a statue and designated reception area at Tulsa International Airport. His story also reached a wider audience through the writings of famed World War II correspondent Ernie Pyle.
Initially buried in Okinawa, Schwab’s remains were later returned to the United States at the request of his father. He was laid to rest with full military honors at Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa in 1949. According to his niece Judy Bryant, given the magnitude of his heroism, the plainness of his grave has long felt inadequate to the family. Bryant has dedicated years to ensuring her uncle receives a more fitting tribute. Inspired by her mother JoAnn, Albert’s sister, she has worked with veterans’ organizations and community supporters to redesign his gravesite so that it more aesthetically reflects his brave and gallant sacrifice. Reflecting what a Marine of his era would have carried, the proposed design includes a Soldier’s Cross and a granite slab engraved with the full wording of his Medal of Honor citation.
Working with Tulsa’s Memorial Cemetery, the effort has taken more than a decade to gain approval and momentum. With support from individuals like John Camp of the Marine Detachment unit, plans are moving forward. The project is has been established to raise the necessary funds. For Bryant, the work is deeply personal but rooted in humility. She has never sought to claim any part of her uncle’s heroism, only to ensure that it is properly remembered. The journey has connected her with veterans and supporters whose shared respect for service has been both humbling and inspiring. Citing it as a tangible way to preserve Schwab’s story for future generations, completing the gravestone project remains a central goal on her life’s bucket list.

Albert E. Schwab’s life was shaped by adversity, but defined by heroism and valor. Today, his legacy endures not only in history books, but will be preserved by the efforts of those who refuse to let his sacrifice fade and will assure he is given the recognition he deserves in his final resting place.
Donations to help with the cost can be made by going to the Albert E. Schwab Detachment of the 857 Marine Corp League website www.mcl857.org and following the DONATE button prompts. Once the page is reached to finalize the donation, there will be a box to add an additional note. Please include
“Medal of Honor Fund” to ensure it is applied accordingly.
Any contributions received over and above what is needed will be directed toward local veteran causes.

The drums sounded across the Comanche County Fairgrounds in Lawton.
The beat in honor of Native Americans who served this country with pride.
And if Kris Killsfirst, Sr., has any say in it they will keep beating for years to come as a reminder of generations of Native American U.S. Service Members past, present and future.

The seventh annual KCA Veterans Powwow was held in conjunction with the Ft. Sill Armed Forces Parade.

The event started in 2019 as a result of the Smithsonian Institute asking three Oklahoma tribes to help with the unveiling of the National Native American Veteran’s Memorial in Washington, D.C.

“We came together and said ‘what can we do,’” Killsfirst said. “They said “have a celebration and honor our veterans.’ That’s how we came together and started this KCA Powwow.”

Turnout was good for the first event and a partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Veteran’s Affairs office in Muskogee helped veterans in southwest Oklahoma put in 156 benefit claims.

Killsfirst said there were an astounding 86 first-time claimants.
“It was one of the largest events they had ever had,” Killsfirst said. “We reached a lot of rural veterans in Southwest Oklahoma. A lot of them came out because their families said they were dancing for them.
“A lot of our veterans come home and integrate back into society and don’t really claim and get the benefits they rightfully deserve. That’s how we kept going with this.”

Killsfirst said the event brings some broken families together for the first time in decades.
“Pretty soon they couldn’t even remember they were mad at each other,” Killsfirst laughed. “It’s a celebration. There’s no agenda.” There’s traditional food, dancing and family. “We answer a lot of questions. We educate people about who we are and what we do,” Killsfirst said. “Even to our community and neighbors, the folks we went to school with they’ve always heard our drums. They’ve always seen our regalia but they never understood exactly what it meant.”

Killsfirst laments his father’s generation never received the recognition they deserved coming back from Vietnam. He was able to bring his father out to the initial Pow Wows. “Those ones didn’t get this welcome so that’s why it’s so important,” Killsfirst said.

Earlier this year, Killsfirst was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Honor.
Other honorees included Matthew Dukes, Dr., Sergeant, US Marine Corps, Mark
Baker, Captain, US Army, Peter Plank, Lieutenant Colonel, OK State Guard and Brandi Rector, Sergeant, US Marine Corps.
Killsfirst served from September 1992 to March 2012.
He completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He served in Iraq from March 2003 to April 2004, November 2005 to November 2006 and June 2008 to June 2009 with HQs & A Company, 1-4 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion and the 4th Infantry Division.
He served as the team chief for the forward arming refill point.
During his career he also served in Fort Drum, New York with the 10th Mountain Division, Camp Mobile, Korea with 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Sill, Oklahoma with 214th Field Artillery Brigade and K-16 (Seoul Airbase), Korea with the 17th Aviation Brigade.
He retired at Fort Carson, Colorado with the 555th Engineer Brigade.
Now his mission is to help educate.
“One of the biggest things I think is important is we help educate our younger people of where they come from,” Killsfirst said. “They get to hear stories about their grandpas and their grandmas about our history.”
He points out Native Americans were not granted citizenship prior to 1924.
“Yet we deserved in defense of this country for decades before that,” he said. “We’ve only been citizens for 103 years. People don’t know that. It’s allowing our older folks to tell there story once again.” • story by Bobby Anderson, contributing writer

Women Veterans Recognition Day is not a separate Veterans Day for women. The day, celebrated yearly on June 12, recognizes, honors and remembers the signing of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act (pub.L. 80–625, 62 Stat. 356), allowing women the right to permanently serve in the regular armed forces.
Women have served in America’s wars and conflicts throughout our history. They played vital roles in the Revolutionary War, serving as soldiers, raising morale and spying on the enemy. It is known that some even disguised themselves as men to be able to serve. More than 400 women fought in the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War.
During World War I, about 35,000 women officially served. Women served in lifesaving roles such as nurses, and critical support staff roles such as the Hello Girls, formally known as the Signal Corps Female Telephone Operators Unit. In World War II, 350,000 women served in the U.S. military in occupations such as nursing, military intelligence, cryptography and parachute rigging.
In August 1943, the Women’s Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) and the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) merged into a single unit for all women pilots and formed the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs). They flew more than 60 million miles in two years. During this time, the 6888th Battalion was formed as the first and only all-Black Women Army Corps (WAC) unit to deploy overseas during WWII. Their nickname was “Six-Triple Eight” and their motto was “No Mail, Low Morale.”
Breaking barriers on June Day 1948 – Before the signing of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act on June 12, 1948, only women nurses could serve in the regular and reserve forces during peacetime. All other women were sent home after each conflict. The signing of the Act deemed women essential to the war efforts and allowed them to serve in the regular armed forces full time. The Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, coupled with President Truman’s decision to desegregate the military, also permitted African American women to officially serve in the military, five years after the 6888th Battalion accomplished its mission of cleaning two years of mail backlog in three months, twice. When women can, they do.
A day worth recognizing – June 12 proclamations and events around the U.S. each year commemorate the signing of the Women’s Armed Service Integration Act by President Truman in 1948. The date was first recognized as a commemorative date when the New York State Assembly declared June 12, 2008, to be Women Veterans’ Recognition Day.
Women served, women belong – Today, women serve in all military occupational specialties, including logistics, munitions, intelligence, and many combat. Women contribute to the most professional, educated, agile and strongest military the U.S. has ever seen.
Despite their longstanding service, many women Veterans struggle to be recognized, respected and valued as Veterans in civilian life. After all they have done and continue to do, women Veterans deserve the support and respect they have earned through their service. They should feel like they belong at VA.
VA understands that women Veterans face specific challenges and have unique health care needs. Beginning in 1992 with the Veterans Health Care Act, VA has been providing gender-specific care to eligible women Veterans. Since then, we have been expanding those gender-specific services and launching initiatives to make women Veterans aware of their well-deserved benefits. We also continue to support our facilities across the country in fostering a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere for the women Veterans who come through our doors.
Recognize outstanding women – There is so much history about women Veterans to be told, and it’s important that women continue to be recognized for their service and sacrifice. On March 12, 2022, Public Law 117-97 was passed to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the members of the Women’s Army Corps who were assigned to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, known as the ‘‘Six Triple Eight.’’
This June 12, to all women Veterans out there – Happy Women Veterans Recognition Day from VA and Oklahoma’s Veteran News.
by Missina Schallus, Navy Veteran and communications manager for the VA’s Center for Women Veterans.