Two Montanans testified Thursday at a Veterans' Affairs hearing chaired by Senator Jon Tester to improve health care for American Indian veterans. 

Tester, who also serves on the Indian Affairs Committee, requested the hearing last month.

Tester and his colleagues questioned and heard testimony from witnesses Kevin Howlett, Director of Tribal Health for Montana's Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, and Buck Richardson, Minority Program Coordinator at Ft. Harrison.

The hearing focused on progress between the Veterans Administration (VA) and the Indian Health Service (IHS) in making quality health care accessible to Indian veterans, especially in rural areas like Montana.  The hearing also focused on the VA's need to overcome cultural barriers to better serve veterans in Indian Country.

"Neither the VA or IHS have put the unique needs of Indian veterans front and center," said Tester.  "We hear the horror stories of a veteran walking in to an IHS facility only to be told to go to the VA hospital hundreds of miles away, and of the veteran walking into a VA facility only to be sent to IHS."

There are currently about 4,600 Native American veterans enrolled in the VA in Montana.  The actual number of Indian veterans in the state, however, is believed to be much higher.