Colleen Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs, and other advocates participated in a roundtable discussion of hunger in the military and veteran communities before the House Rules Committee on May 27. They discussed the stigma in asking for help that’s perceived by service members, veterans and their families; difficulties families face in qualifying for assistance; and lack of real data to quantify the extent of the problem. Heflin suggests providing automatic SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps, to service members in the lower ranks as they separate from the military. It reduces the stigma because everyone would qualify, she says. "It’s a small dollar item that could really help service members during this critical transition period." It would help provide some extra dollars as they establish themselves, and serve as an extra benefit to thank them for their service, she says. Read more in the Military Times article, "‘A national outrage’: Lawmakers seek solutions to food insecurity in military, veteran families."