Atwater believes in
OPERATION HOPE FOR VETERANS (V.I.P.)
TO MY BELOVED VETERANS:
I am not a military veteran, but I am a former military wife of an outstanding and trailblazing Colonel. As a military spouse, I saw the financial, mental, and physical toll serving in the military had on families, especially children. During Thanksgiving and Christmas, single military soldiers were invited to our home to give a sense of family away from home. Military families are indeed special!
First, let me pay my full respects to every veteran who has given their life and made sacrifices so that I may have the freedom to run for Governor of the State of Tennessee. As a gubernatorial candidate, I believe that no veteran should be homeless, waiting on medical treatment, or worried about paying their property taxes as a 100% disabled veteran. As the next Governor of the State of Tennessee, veterans would be one of my priorities because of my lifelong connection. I was also in the ROTC Program in High School.
With this lived experience, it gives me a unique insight into military life, navigating medical treatments, and governmental bureaucracy. I have observed how veterans' major surgeries are placed on hold, which can exacerbate the problem.
As a military wife, I implemented the first Family Outreach Services for Military Dependents living off the military base, which entailed the donation of food, clothing, diapers, baby formula, household items, and financial management for newly enlisted soldiers.
At the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, I served as a Medical Surgical Nurse and a Mental Health Liaison to soldiers and family members. As the Dean of Medical Studies in Clarksville, TN, I implemented the first Military Family Enhancement Educational Outreach to support spouses and children of veterans.
I have had an extensive background serving soldiers and their families in a professional capacity and as a civilian. I worked at III Armored Corps Command Headquarters, Fort Hood, Texas, in the Army Community Service (ACS), which offered several programs that supported Soldier and family readiness as well as prevention, financial, relocation, and spouse employment assistance.
When both parents were active duty and had to be deployed or go on TDY, I would serve as the surrogate parent for their children and all the duties that came with that responsibility.
In the late 80s, as a Nurse and Nursing Home Administrator, I had first-hand experience and was charged with administering cannabis to Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange who suffered from an array of illnesses, including various cancers such as prostate cancer, lung cancer, and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease, PTSD, and Parkinson’s disease. At that time, it was referred to as Post-Vietnam Syndrome, combat fatigue, and the shell shock legacy term borrowed from World War I. My team of nurses advocated for these veterans who had overwhelming evidence of these health risks, and the U.S. government passed the Agent Orange Act of 1991. I have had a lifetime legacy of fighting for veterans.
As of today, I am instrumental in serving unhoused veterans throughout the year by feeding, clothing, and ensuring affordable housing. I have been actively engaged in fighting for veterans’ benefits, accessibility to healthcare, mental health counseling, drug addiction counseling, and other wrap-around services. When veteran services have been delayed, I have met the needs of veterans by paying for service at minor emergency services, medication, or dental services.
In the 90s, I led a protest against the Veterans Administration Hospital in Memphis for the inadequate care of veterans, which resulted in a new renovation of the hospital, better services to veterans, and a change of administration.
Quarterly, I set up mobile care stations to meet the needs of unhoused veterans by providing portable showers, ready-to-go meals, care packages with blankets, hats, and coats, and barber care. I have donated over 500 pairs of shoes in the last five years to unhoused veterans across the State of Tennessee.
Every year, I set up a military museum at Mid-South Naval Base in Millington, TN, the Veterans Administration in Memphis, and VFWs throughout the Mid-South to show my appreciation to veterans and the service they have given to this country.
For the last 20 years, I have given a Veteran Royalty Celebration Dinner to celebrate the awesomeness of our beloved veterans and treat them as the heroes and sheroes that they are in this great country. I have assisted veterans in filing VA Disability Compensation for military-related trauma, transportation to and from VA hospitals, and mental health facilities. I have assisted in suicide counseling.
I am a volunteer and donor of Alpha Omega Veterans Association in Memphis, the American Legion, and the Wounded Warrior Project. I have made donations and supported over 25 VFWs across the State of Tennessee. As the next Governor of the State of Tennessee who truly understands the multifaceted role every veteran has made in our freedom, I will continue this agape love and sacrifice for veterans and their families. God bless America and may God shine blessings on Tennessee!
As the next potential Governor of the State of Tennessee, I am committed to being accountable to the people, for the people, by the people. I have publicly pledged to give back ¾ of my salary as Governor to assist with homelessness, veteran care, child literacy, food security, domestic violence, teacher empowerment, mental health counseling, drug addiction counseling, and other benefits to Tennesseans. Many veterans battled PTSD and homelessness, and I will be a boots-on-the-ground Governor going out into the byways and highways of life to address the needs of the people. Any gubernatorial candidate can make promises, but I have a proven record of standing with veterans and Tennesseans on all fronts. When Clarksville, Tennessee had its tornado in 2025, I was there for the veterans and citizens, delivering food, toiletries, household items, blankets, clothing, coats, and baby items.
PROBLEM STATEMENTS:
OPERATION HOPE FOR VETERANS – As the next potential Governor of the State of Tennessee, I will address tax freezes, displacement, housing, mental health, and workforce development regarding my sisters and brothers who are veterans. I have supported veterans for the last 40 years, donating food, clothing, household items, and securing housing for them.
(a) Tennessee veterans are concerned and outraged over the Trump Administration’s proposal to lay off 80,000 employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The cuts are part of the administration’s efforts to reshape the federal workforce, which will further exacerbate the care and treatment of veterans. Nevertheless, the government should increase the number of employees and offices to help veterans obtain their benefits.``
“The veterans services for us were bad enough as it was,” said Air Force veteran Marty Ness-White. “Their first job feels like to say no to all claims.”
(b) Under Atwater’s administration, veterans enlisted in the military were proud to serve our country. After their service, they should not have to fight for our own health care. They should not have to fight to save the lives of their fellow veterans because the system meant to protect them is failing.
(c) Far too long, in the State of Tennessee, workers at the VA hospitals find themselves on the phone trying to prevent veterans from taking their own lives because they cannot access the care they desperately need. Every day, veterans slip into homelessness because the promises made to them went unfulfilled. This is not how service should be repaid to the veterans of Tennessee.
(d) Veterans across the country, especially in Tennessee, are facing a growing crisis in their healthcare and services. Under Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, in partnership with billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the VA targeted 30,000 federal jobs, many held by veterans. Since January 2025, thousands of critical staff, including doctors and nurses, have left the VA, worsening long-standing problems of staffing shortages, waiting times, and denied claims.
(e) Collins has also attempted to invalidate collective bargaining agreements that protect federal workers in the workplace and impact the quality of our care. Before taking the job, Collins was a major ally of a billionaire-funded effort to further increase reliance of the VA on private healthcare, benefiting corporations instead of investing in our public healthcare system.
(f) When veterans try to file a claim or even seek a diagnosis at the VA, every step matters. You might have a recurring condition, but after months of waiting, your appointment finally arrives on a day when you happen to feel slightly “okay” or are not showing symptoms due to months of waiting for an appointment. That single “okay” or good day can set you back, forcing you to start the process over again just to get the needed care or continue with the same treatment or medical practice. The VA delivers medical care through a step-by-step escalation process, but these steps are slippery and dimly lit, leading to delayed care for our veterans.
(g) Imagine all of this compounded by VA staffing cuts, which cause longer wait times, hours on hold, the loss of key personnel who help veterans access care, and long trips to Nashville to see a specialist, only to have your travel pay denied.
(h) The care we subject our veterans to is inhumane and horrible. Their service and sacrifices have earned them broken promises and broken systems. Elected officials with short-term memory seem to remember veterans only at election time or on Veterans Day. Veterans are left asking: what happened to ‘never forget’?
(i) Millions of veterans were exposed to burn pits. The VA created the Burn Pit Registry to track and compile data on troops affected by these toxic exposures because, frankly, no one yet knows the long-term impact or the care they will need. A stripped-down VA in the future could be held accountable for failing to provide that care and protect our veterans.
(j) Yet five Tennessee members of Congress, U.S. Reps. Chuck Fleischmann, Mark Green, a graduate of West Point and a veteran, Diana Harshbarger, David Kustoff and John Rose, voted against the PACT Act, a law designed to provide health care and benefits to veterans exposed to toxic substances. The expansion of our VA clinic in Clarksville is a result of PACT Act funding.
(k) Veterans are dying every day, be it from illnesses exacerbated by long wait times or suicide. Now, on top of that, millions of Americans, including veterans, have also lost their SNAP food benefits. While working people face cuts, the wealthy and corporations won nearly $1 trillion in tax cuts over the next decade.
(l) Clarksville has always been a proud military town. With Fort Campbell in our backyard, Montgomery County has the highest veteran density in the state. Twenty percent of our residents have served in the military. They are more than veterans. They are your teachers, pastors, factory workers, and your friends. They raise families, coach Little League, volunteer in our churches, and contribute every day to the life of our communities.
(m) When veterans cannot get an appointment for months or can’t afford their groceries, their health worsens. When their travel pay is denied, they often skip care altogether. When forced into private networks, many of them give up in frustration. The result is not efficiency; it is neglect.
(n) Veterans have sacrificed enough, and my message will be clear as the next Governor of the State of Tennessee. Invest in veterans' care, not cuts.
(o) On Feb 24, 2025, the state Comptroller told the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee that the program will be broken in 2026, needing over $10 million just to keep the program operating under current law. That would be over $16 million, with the calculation fix for disabled vets. The program will be $19 million short in 2027, not counting the $6 million to fix the math.
Three outcomes exist at present:
1) Due to inaction in appropriating money by Gov. Lee and the legislature to fix the problem, future payments (starting with the next tax cycle) could be reduced by a percentage to accommodate the $41 million funding that has traditionally been given. This would mean about a 20% reduction (under current enrollment) in the reimbursements to disabled veterans…not including the additional “market value” deductions from those payments that TNVET is fighting to remove.
2) Gov. Lee could start meeting Comptroller projections and funding the budget to meet current state law. The Governor’s office has known, for at least 18 months, that the program has been going under financially. We have seen no comment directly from Gov. Lee or his officials as to a relief plan or course of action, if any.
3). Gov. Lee could fund the program based on Comptroller needs and correct/eliminate the “market value” penalty placed on disabled veteran payments. In July 2023, Gov. Lee publicly stated that he wanted to “make Tennessee the best state in the nation for service members, veterans and their families to thrive”. All 50 states provide a property tax reimbursement to qualified disabled veterans. There are approximately 20 states providing programs that give 100% property tax reimbursements to 100% disabled vets (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia are examples in our region. Kentucky is working on such a law.) Many states offer proportional property tax reimbursements for vets that have less than 100% total disability, as little as 10%. It has been noted in national listings/articles on this benefit that Tennessee uses market value versus other states using the local appraised value (the penalty TNVET is working to eliminate). Compared to other states, Tennessee’s usage of market value adjustment, 100% disability requirement for any tax credit, and amount of property value affected, places it roughly in the bottom 20% of the 50 state programs.
TNVET continually heard at House and Senate Committees that the state needs to take care of its veterans, especially during discussions of HB0436/SB0651 and others like bills that required funding. Veterans need to see that concern in action. If your House or Senate representative holds meetings over the summer, veterans need to ask them what they will do to get Gov. Lee on board with fixing the program. The House sponsor of TNVET’s bill, Rep Crawford, has committed to helping us again for the next session. We thank him and Senate sponsor, Sen Crowe, for their efforts! Better Health Record Management Service. DOGE Initiatives: Cutting Veteran Administration Healthcare Contracts. 80,000 VA Employees Layout
But veterans are right to pay attention to the proposals that keep resurfacing in budget discussions, especially those that could take effect in or after 2026:
Means-testing VA disability compensation
Requiring a 30%+ rating to receive compensation
30% reduction at age 67 for veterans who start receiving benefits in 2026+
Ending or limiting TDIU at age 67
Potential taxation of VA disability compensation
VA health care enrollment and cost changes (Priority Groups 7 & 8:CBO 60932; prescription copays: CBO 58670)
Proposed VA rating schedule updates that could reduce future awards.
ATWATER'S GOAL AND STRATEGIES:
The respect and gratitude I have for veterans is undeniably what will make me a Governor of the people, especially veterans who have sacrificed their lives and families for our freedom. We must give them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness back.
(a) Immediately work to pass HB0436/SB0651. If Tennessee truly respects and honors our veterans, we must be progressive in securing their livelihood, financial security, and quality of care.
I would remove the use of “Market Value” and would use only the county assessed value, which is updated in accordance with state law. Tennessee is the only state that does this, while 24 states in the United States pay 100% of a disabled veteran's and surviving spouse's property tax. The project cost is $6 million per the state Comptroller.
Place the concerns of veterans into action. As the next potential Governor of the State of Tennessee, I will place veterans on my priority list to award their valor and contributions to this country and the State of Tennessee. In my book, there is no such thing as a second-class veteran.
I would pass HB1972/SB1603. I would support immediately establishing a comprehensive, holistic, state-regulated medical cannabis program in Tennessee during the 2027 legislative session. I would approve HB1972/SB1603, thus working with the legislators.
(b) Implement a Veterans Benefit Council that would work closely with my administration to meet the needs of veterans without the bureaucracy.
(c) Give unhoused veterans their dignity back. No veterans in the State of Tennessee should be sleeping on the streets. I am committed to building affordable housing for our veterans. Creating safe living group quarters for a setting of veteran unity.
(d) Give 100% property tax reimbursements to 100% disabled vets.
(e) Offer proportional property tax reimbursements for vets that have less than 100% total disability, as little as 10%.
(f) Make this correction: Tennessee uses market value, whereas other states use the local appraised value.
(g) Correct/eliminate the “market value” penalty placed on disabled veteran payments.
(h) I will veto any bill that brings harm to veterans in the State of Tennessee.
Means-testing VA disability compensation
Requiring a 30%+ rating to receive compensation
30% reduction at age 67 for veterans who start receiving benefits in 2026+
Ending or limiting TDIU at age 67
Potential taxation of VA disability compensation
VA health care enrollment and cost changes (Priority Groups 7 & 8:CBO 60932; prescription copays: CBO 58670)
Proposed VA rating schedule updates that could reduce future awards.
(i) Promote legislation to honor and respect veterans in VA Hospitals to produce adequate veteran services and healthcare.
(j) I will collaborate with Alpha Omega Veterans Services and Veterans for All, organizing in Clarksville to protect their care and reject cuts to vital services. Their platform calls on major Clarksville corporations that receive millions in public subsidies and tax breaks to invest in veteran care, make binding commitments to hire veterans, and treat workers with dignity. They also urge our elected officials to oppose VA cuts and resist a shift toward privatized healthcare. I will bond with these organizations to stop cuts to veterans' benefits.
(k) I will not reward corporations with massive tax breaks while cutting services for veterans and working families. I will invest in the veterans who have already given so much for all of us.
(l) Break up the Gatekeeping: The main issue with legalizing medical cannabis is the relationships that lobbyists, politicians, and the pharmaceutical industry have, a mix of competition and capitalization. While natural cannabis competes with traditional prescription drugs (like painkillers and sleep aids), the pharmaceutical industry is increasingly pivoting to invest in patented cannabinoid therapeutics and FDA-approved cannabinoids. Pharmaceutical giants are buying out cannabinoid-focused biotech companies. Major pharmaceutical companies hold some of the largest volumes of cannabis-related patents, effectively setting up a gatekeeper role for when federal regulations evolve. As the next potential Governor of the State of Tennessee, I am bold enough to address political corruption because I am unbossed and unbought. The focus should be on veterans' health and not capitalization.
If the State of Tennessee can allocate billions of dollars in tax incentives and Payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOTs) to billionaires in tax cuts for new developments and data centers, certainly we can afford to legalize medical cannabis for veterans. It is just a matter of placing our priorities in the right place.
(m) Veterans Should Not Be Caught Up In Divisive Politics: I am elated that the U.S. House of Representatives approved an amendment for medical cannabis, but on the state level, veterans need a Governor who can move state legislators in the direction of progressive thinking for the well-being of veterans as it relates to PTSD and other medical issues. With my people skills and diverse mindset to embrace all political persuasions, I could be the bridge to bring politicians together for the betterment of the people. I am a Democrat, but I am an American first, with the best interests of Tennesseans, especially veterans.
I am not interested in political divisiveness; therefore, my motivation is focusing on the people’s agenda. Veterans should not be begging legislators to do the right thing. As the next potential Governor of the State of Tennessee, I will have a Veterans Benefit Council under my administration to address the holistic needs of veterans. A governor should be in tune with the catastrophic issues of being a veteran. The Governor should know that the suicide rate among veterans in Tennessee is 41.3 per 100,000, according to the latest U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs State Data Sheet. This rate represents 184 veteran deaths annually and exceeds both the regional and national veteran suicide averages.
Legalizing Medical Cannabis for Veterans and Other Medical Conditions:
Atwater would push to legalize cannabis for medicinal and recreational use to address disparities and the economic trajectory for better roads and revenue, thus monitoring the pros and cons of cannabis.
(a) I will work closely with the Tennessee legislature, removing the “red tape” to approve the passage of HB1972/SB1603. The tax revenues from recreational cannabis could also be used to offset the tax burden for disabled veterans.
(b) Tennessee lawmakers have advanced a sweeping marijuana legalization bill that could reshape employment, drug testing, and background screening across the state. House Bill 2525, known as the “ Pot for Potholes," would legalize adult cannabis use while creating a regulated commercial market, revising portions of criminal law, directing new tax revenue to roads and community investment, and signaling a meaningful shift in how marijuana intersects with work.
(c) Pain Management
Cannabis is widely recognized for its ability to alleviate chronic pain, including neuropathic pain, and is often considered a safer alternative to opioids due to a lower risk of addiction and fewer treatment discontinuations. Both THC and CBD contribute to pain relief by interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system, particularly CB1 receptors in the brain and CB2 receptors in immune cells. Patients with conditions like multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and fibromyalgia have reported significant improvements in pain symptoms.
(d) Sleep and Insomnia
Cannabis, particularly formulations combining THC and CBD, has been studied as a sleep aid. Clinical trials indicate that it can help individuals with insomnia, restless leg syndrome, or PTSD-related sleep disturbances fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality. Its effects are most pronounced in people whose sleep issues are linked to pain or other medical conditions.
(e) Neurological Protection
Cannabis shows potential in protecting brain health and supporting cognitive function. Research suggests benefits for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, with CB2 receptors in diseased brain tissue playing a role in reducing inflammation and promoting neuroprotection. Ongoing clinical trials are investigating cannabis-based therapies for cognitive decline.
(f) Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Cannabis compounds interact with CB2 receptors in immune cells, helping reduce inflammation and modulate immune responses. This makes it potentially useful for autoimmune conditions and inflammatory disorders.
Additional Benefits
Cannabis may also assist in reducing opioid and alcohol use, serving as a harm-reduction tool for individuals managing dependencies. It is increasingly used for relaxation, stress relief, and overall wellness, with many users reporting improved quality of life and coping mechanisms.
Cannabis offers scientifically supported benefits for pain relief, mental health, sleep improvement, inflammation control, and neurological protection.
Pain Management: Effective for chronic, neuropathic, and muscle spasm pain.
Medical Treatment: Used for nausea from chemotherapy, appetite loss (AIDS), epilepsy, and MS symptoms.
Mental Health:
Short-term relief for anxiety, stress, or panic in some users. PTSD individuals.
Relaxation: Produces feelings of joy and relaxation.
Sleep Aid: May help with sleep problems related to conditions like fibromyalgia.
Veteran Displacement and Mental Health Advocacy - TENN V.E.T.S. (Veterans Equity & Transitional Safety)
(a) As the next Governor, it is imperative that we bring equity and safety to our veterans across the State of Tennessee. A special transitional team would be implemented to meet these specific needs of veterans outside of the Veterans Administration. This program would be veteran and community-driven to ascertain the optimal treatment and care for these heroes.
(b) Mental counselors will be sent out into the canvas of the community across the 95 counties to identify and assist these veterans. Special programs and services will also be established for family members, such as respite care or transitional training and adjustment.
TENNESSEE HOMELESS VETERAN INITIATIVE PROGRAM (TENN HOME V.I.P.)
(a) TENN HOME VIP will bring our heroes out of the shadows of cardboard boxes, alleys, dumpsters, dilapidated homes, street benches, overgrown railroad tracks, and overpasses. As the next potential Governor with the heart of the people, I stand with the heroes who gave their lives for my freedom to run as the first African American woman for Governor of the State of Tennessee.
(b) As the next Governor of the State of Tennessee who has served homeless veterans for over 25 years, I would consider it a privilege and responsibility to provide exceptional care and support to those who honorably served our country and State, as well as their families. This holistic program would provide mobile service to the homeless veteran, transitional homes, mental health care, drug counseling, rehabilitative therapy services, nutritional programs, portable tiny homes, PTSD support, long-term care, or short-term skilled nursing care with healthcare professionals specially trained in providing the physical, emotional, and mental support veterans may need.
(c) My new administration would increase funding to the Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs and assist with public, private, and non-profit partnerships with other employers to help connect veterans with good-paying jobs to assure financial sustainability.
(d) This program for homeless veterans would work closely with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to assist eligible veterans with accessing federal funding for their care, even though this community outreach program would be independent of the Veteran Administration.
(e) These programs and community outreach services would be under the jurisdiction of the Tennessee Homeless Veteran Initiative Program (TENN HOME V.I.P.) A special Board with members appointed by the Governor, homeless veterans, and stakeholders at the table to address the real needs of the community across the State of Tennessee.
(f) Oversight of the day–to–day management and operations of the TENN HOME VIP would be vested in the Executive Committee of the Board, which would exercise its authority for planning, implementation, and operation of this unique initiative to provide service for homeless veterans. Uniquely designed tiny homes would be the idea setting for this transit group.
(g) Our purpose would provide top quality of service and quality of life for every homeless veteran, with respect and dignity. The staff would be resolute, knowledgeable, professionally trained, and motivated to ensure our American heroes reach their care goals.
(h) As the next potential Governor, I would work hard to bring every citizen to the table of economic prosperity and quality of life, especially our heroes who deserve more than a cardboard box on the streets in Tennessee.