Ohio
Ohio, the Buckeye state, is a populous (11,542,645 residents; U.S. Census 2009 estimate) Midwestern state comprised of 44,825 square miles. Ohio is home to 947,370 civilian veterans, nearly 11% of OH's population. Civilian veterans are those who previously served in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or the Coast Guard. People who served in the National Guard are classified as veterans only if they were called to active duty.
Near the geographic center of the state, Columbus has the distinction of being the state capital and the largest city in the state. Other major cities in Ohio include Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo, Akron, Dayton and Canton.
Ohio occupies a strategic location, linking the Northeast to the Midwest. The roadways of Ohio are well traveled by truck traffic passing through Ohio's borders. Major east-west routes from Pennsylvania to Indiana through Ohio include the Ohio Turnpike (I-80/I-90), I-76, and I-70. Major north-south routes from Michigan to Kentucky and West Virginia include I-75, I-71 and I-77. Ohio is home to five international airports.
The population of Ohio is diverse. Ohio has the largest Amish population in the United States, with the largest concentration being in Holmes County and Wayne County. The Columbus metropolitan area has one of the highest concentrations of Somali refugees in the entire nation. Immigration continues to be a source of new Ohio residents, according to the Bowling Green State University Center for Family and Demographic Research.
There is an active military installation in Ohio -- the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is located in southwestern Ohio, about 10 miles northeast of Dayton. The base is home to the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Air Force Institute of Technology and the Air Force Museum. The Ohio National Guard provides public safety when ordered by the Governor, or support of the National Military Strategy when ordered by the President of the United States. The major combat unit of the Ohio Army National Guard is the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, a subordinate unit of the 38th Infantry Division.
There are four VA medical Centers located in Ohio: the Chillicothe VA Medical Center in Southeastern Ohio; the Cincinnati VA Medical Center; the Dayton VA Medical Center; and the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center in Cleveland. Ohio offers several programs specifically for OH veterans.
The State of Ohio grants money through the Military Injury Relief Fund to those injured while in active service as a member of the armed forces of the United States, and while serving under Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation Enduring Freedom. This money is exempt from state taxation.
OHIOCARES is a collaboration of state and local agencies supporting the behavioral health of returning Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom veterans and their families. OHIOCARES is designed to enhance the services available through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame, established in 1992, was the first of its kind in the nation. The Hall of Fame recognizes the post-military achievements of outstanding veterans, especially in the civilian workplace.
