First Havre Veterans Stand Down set for Thursday

The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and an assortment of other volunteers will host a Veterans Stand Down Thursday in the Student Union Building Ballroom at Montana State University-Northern.

The stand down will take place from 7 a.m to 7 p.m.

All military veterans are welcome to attend.

A veteran of the U.S. Army and Army National Guard, Sgt. Scott Prindiville, retired, is one of the event organizers. He said the stand down is the first of its kind in Havre and is modeled after similar fairs held in cities throughout Montana meant to connect veterans with a variety of services at no cost.

“I’ve heard about the Great Falls stand down for quite a few years and thought it would be a good idea to have one,” Prindiville said.

The event includes a 40-foot van from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide services to veterans. Other veterans groups such as the Native American Veterans and Disabled Veterans of America will also be at the stand down, Prindiville said.

Bullhook Community Health Center will provide health screenings, and Northern Montana Hospital will provide flu shots, which will be administered by students in the university’s nursing program.

Local mental health counselors will be at the event, Prindiville said.

Local veterans also will be able to take advantage of employment and training services provided by District 4 Human Resources Development Council, and social workers will address concerns of homeless veterans.

Veterans also will have the chance to get haircuts as well as free soup, sandwiches and coffee.

Prindiville said representatives from Rocky Boy’s and Fort Belknap Indian reservations will offer veterans rides from the reservations to Havre and back.

A poster advertising the event said people attending should bring their Dd 214, VA card and military ID.