Begay calls for better support for Navajo veterans in Farmington
Donovan Begay used a Farmington veterans forum to press for better health care, housing and benefits help for Navajo veterans before families fall through the cracks.
At a June 19 veterans forum in Farmington, Donovan Begay pushed Navajo Nation leaders to do more for former service members trying to move into civilian life, get benefits and keep stable housing. The Navajo Nation presidential candidate, a Marine Corps veteran, made the case in a city that sits at the center of life for many veterans in San Juan County and northwest New Mexico.
Begay said his own transition after military service was difficult, and that college through the GI Bill helped him regain structure. His remarks pointed to a problem: many veterans do not learn what help exists until years after discharge, including home-loan benefits and other services that can affect whether a family can stay housed and get care.
VA New Mexico Health Care’s clinic at 3605 English Road and the Farmington Vet Center at 4251 East Main Street, Suite A, serve veterans in Farmington. The Vet Center offers confidential counseling and referrals for veterans, service members and families at no cost in a non-medical setting. VA’s Native American Direct Loan program may help eligible Native veterans buy, build or improve homes on federal trust land.
Begay’s focus on housing also lines up with work already underway on the Navajo Nation. The Navajo Nation Veterans Administration runs a housing program, and President Buu Nygren’s office said in late 2025 that 100 homes had been improved through the Navajo Veterans Housing Program. On June 11, the Naabik’íyáti’ Committee approved legislation designating the Navajo Nation as a Purple Heart Navajo Nation.
A May 29, 2025 Navajo Times report estimated more than 30,000 military veterans live on the Navajo Nation. The New Mexico Department of Health works across 33 counties and 31 public health offices and collaborates with 24 Tribes, Nations and Pueblos, but also faces a provider shortage that hurts preventive care and access to treatment. In San Juan County, San Juan College’s Veteran Center helps with the annual San Juan County Veteran Stand Down, which serves veterans and community members facing homelessness.
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