Knott Serves Over 300 Veterans at Second Annual Veterans Event

LILLINGTON, N.C. - Congressman Brad Knott (NC-13) hosted his second-annual Veterans Service Initiative Event in partnership with Harnett County, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and over 30 veterans-supporting vendors. The event was hosted at the Harnett County Library bringing together a wide variety of resources in one place to efficiently provide veterans the support they need. Congressman Knott's event served over 300 veterans through on-site VA claims, vendor services, health screenings, dental care, and more.

"Our veterans continually sacrifice so much for this country. Making sure they can easily access the care, benefits, and support they've earned is a responsibility I take seriously. No veteran should have to wander in a bureaucratic maze or feel like help is out of reach. I am eager to assist our veterans in getting through any of these complications to secure their benefits. Meeting with so many wonderful North Carolina veterans this weekend only reinforced how important this work is. I am committed to building on this momentum and continuing to show up for those who have served all of us, and I look forward to having more events like this in the future. If you are a veteran, please know my office is here for you. We are ready to help, and I encourage you to reach out." - Congressman Brad Knott (NC-13)

"VA is proud to work with Congressman Knott to connect North Carolina Veterans with the benefits they earned and deserve. He is a strong advocate for NC-13 Veterans, and the annual VSI represents an incredibly successful proactive effort to reach that community," Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins said. "When we work together to put Veterans first, good things happen."

"We work hard in Harnett County and throughout the district to serve veterans to the best of our ability. Holding big events such as this one expands services and provides a greater resource capability. Resources and information are key to veterans and their families or caregivers, especially as they navigate their way through the Veterans Administration. Two full days of providing claims, benefits, resources, medical and dental services with astounding results made every moment of planning and servicing worth it! Special thanks to Congressman Knott and his staff, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, service officers from Johnston, Lee, Cumberland, Sampson, Harnett and the Garner Service Center Campbell University medical students and the dental team who serviced the veterans directly. Thanks again to all of the vendors and volunteers that made these days possible. What a great event!" - Amy Noel, Harnett County VSO Assistant Director

"On behalf of the leadership team at Warrior Connection, I would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude and deepest appreciation to Congressman Brad Knott and his team for facilitating and including us in the 2026 NC-13 VSI / Stand Down event. This was such a tremendous opportunity for Warrior Connection to reach so many of our combat veterans who could truly benefit from the Warrior Connection program. Furthermore, there were so many other resources and organizations who were brought together, all in one location, in the effort to support and care for America's greatest asset, her warfighters. Overall, the event was well organized and certainly beneficial to our veteran community in NC-13. Thank you, Congressman Brad Knott, and to your incredible team for all your hard work and efforts. The veterans of NC-13 can rest assured that they are not alone and never forgotten." - Jason Eckman, Vice President of Warrior Connections

The event featured:

• On-site VA claims
• Family-friendly activities for veterans and their families
• More than 30 vendors serving veterans
• Free medical screenings
• Complimentary breakfast and lunch

During the second Trump Administration, VA has:

• Opened 38 new VA healthcare facilities since Jan. 20, 2025, expanding health care access for Veterans around the country.
• Enrolled more than 200,000 new Veterans in VA health care in 2026.
• Completed a record high 60,007,423 community care appointments in FY 2025, up nearly 12% from FY 2024
• Completed an all-time high of 82,083,918 direct care appointments in FY 2025, up 4.1% from FY 2024.
• Reduced the backlog of Veterans waiting for VA benefits by more than 70% since Jan. 20, 2025, after it increased 24% during the Biden Administration.
• Offered Veterans more than 2.8 million appointments outside of normal operating hours, giving Veterans more timely and convenient options for care.
• Permanently housed 51,936 homeless Veterans across the country in FY 2025, the highest total in seven years.