The Center for Minority Veterans (CMV) is in the midst of a campaign last to increase the participation of minority Veterans in the VA’s Million Veteran Program.

Historically, minorities have been under-represented in clinical trials.  A 2011 report published from the conference “Dialogues on Diversifying Clinical Trials,” cited that African Americans represent 12 percent of the U.S. population but only 5 percent of clinical trial participants and Hispanics make up 16 percent of the population but only one percent of clinical trial participants.

However, minority Veterans comprise 23 percent of the total Veteran population and minority women make up 33 percent of the total women Veteran population.  Both populations of Veterans are projected to increase over the next 20 years as the overall Veteran population decreases.  It is extremely important that VA continues to pursue avenues to ensure that more minority Veterans are represented in research studies such as the Million Veteran Program.

CMV’s campaign is an integral part of its ongoing outreach to minority Veterans via the MVP coordinator program, virtual town hall meetings, lunch and learns sessions with other federal agencies and various collaborative outreach activities with Veteran service organizations and non-governmental partners.  All outreach activities routinely are coordinated with Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration and National Cemetery Administration team members to ensure that minority Veterans are receiving current information on VA benefits and services. We understand and appreciate that some minority Veterans may be reluctant to participate in this research study due to trust issues that date back to past experiments such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study.

A 2014 article noted that minorities are hard to reach, require a deliberate effort. “They are hardly reached,” study leader Moon Chen, the cancer center’s associate director for cancer control, said in a University of California Davis news release.  Our targeted outreach efforts will assist VA in recruiting more minority Veterans to participate in the Million Veteran Program.

In related CMV news, we are partnering with Women Veterans Interactive to present a minority Veterans benefits virtual town hall on Wednesday, March 29 from 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. ET.   VA representatives from Benefits Assistance Service, CMV, Million Veteran Program and the National Cemetery Administration scheduling office will participate. To register for this event go to:  https://minorityveteransbenefitsvirtualtownhall.eventbrite.com


Barbara WardBarbara Ward is the director of VA’s Center for Minority Veterans.

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12 Comments

  1. Stanley L Hannibal, Jr. March 30, 2017 at 13:02

    I need help with getting dentures and cannot get any how do I get help. Have no job and no money to do this on my own
    so how can I get help I live in the Atlanta, Ga. area

  2. Eric Snow March 20, 2017 at 18:49

    I totally agree with the above statements displayed
    I am a Black American, so why do I have to say “Black”.
    Its a tag, a label that is so out dated as the thinking behind its use.
    It is better just to say all veterans, that’s what we were trained as a unit
    and not by individuality. But in my opinion the identifier of the term
    “Race”; there shouldn’t be anything there.
    Because we are all part of each other, the human race and share the same
    genome and classifications.

    • Charles Burkes March 23, 2017 at 19:11

      Well said Eric! The sooner we STOP labeling people in America by race, gender or other for the sake of identifying with a small sector of the public. The sooner we stop, the sooner we can begin to build a more cohesive citizenry! Most of us are beyond the need for this type of distinguishing which only serves to divide not include. If you want to be all inclusive, use inclusive labels like Americans and Veterans, NOT “African-Americans” or certainly not “Minority Veterans.” Come on people, lets move on!

  3. George Parker March 19, 2017 at 12:42

    That’s BS about minority Veterans,we all served,we all had each other’s back so why now about all this B.S. signed sick of all the B.S.

    • earl brewster March 23, 2017 at 17:27

      There is not enough Minority’s participation in the program that’s why !

  4. LTC (Ret)"Cassagnol March 18, 2017 at 16:25

    DVA Million Minority Outreach would be better served reaching out to minority Veterans by reaching out to us in minority Neighborhoods at churches, cities, sports venues, etc. You must go where the Veterans are!!!!

  5. Richard E. Forster March 17, 2017 at 15:29

    I DO NOT UNDERSTAND, “Your comment is awaiting moderation”.WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?

  6. Richard E. Forster March 17, 2017 at 15:24

    Why is their minority veteran program. The public is preached at daily about people being predigest and the VA does just that bt segregating blacks, hispanics, women and others. I fully understand the separation of our women veterans because of the physical differences in their bodies and the male and the unique medical problems that accompany the difference. I will even go so far as to accept that their are some medical problems that are unique to different ethnic groups of peoples. I DO NOT however, believe that a special program has to be in place to get minorities to participate in a voluntary research program. When they are seen for medical appointments they should be informed of a specific program opportunity that they could possibly participate in and let them decide to participate or not. Given the information and importance of a particular program should encourage their participation.

  7. William Isom March 17, 2017 at 14:01

    We vet,s have to prove every thing when applying for benfits,that should be on Record. then wait 9 mo. Too 2yrs for a awnser??

  8. John OBrien March 17, 2017 at 12:38

    Reaching out to the hispanic and black community is not necessarily being ALL INCLUSIVE or DIVERSE how about reaching out to my people the American Indian, or Samoans, Asians etc otherwise simply say you want more black and hispanic involvement and quit using the numbers of minority population to give yourself strength in numbers

  9. Luis Angel Morales March 17, 2017 at 12:04

    I would like to join your organization.

  10. Clarence Adams March 17, 2017 at 10:45

    How do I get tp particpate in the Minority Veterans Million Program?

Comments are closed.

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