Navigating Constraints and Strategies for Veteran Outdoor Access

Citation

Cerveny, L. K., Derrien, M. M., Havlick, D. G., & Wendel, K. (2026). Navigating constraints and strategies for veteran outdoor access. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 55, 101098. doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2026.101098

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Outdoor programs for veterans (OPVs) give veterans nature-based experiences that support their physical and mental health, and they aim to remove the common barriers that keep veterans from taking part. But these programs often face their own challenges when it comes to delivering services.

The COMPACT Act of 2020 required the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to create an interagency task force to work with public land agencies and expand outdoor opportunities for veterans. Then, in 2022, a federal information request asked veteran organizations and the public to share the obstacles they face in seeking or offering outdoor opportunities, along with possible solutions.

The authors reviewed 120 public comments submitted in response to that request. They found that OPVs deal with internal organizational challenges, as well as administrative hurdles involving both the VA and public land agencies. They also identified the strategies these programs use to work around those obstacles.

Programs supported capacity-building efforts to improve coordination, expand access to information, provide training, and find ways to sustain OPV programs. They also asked for simpler, streamlined processes for accessing VA grants and public land reservation and permit systems. Making these improvements could reduce barriers to participation and support better health for veterans.

Abstract

Outdoor programs for veterans (OPVs) support the physical and mental health benefits of nature-based experiences, seeking to mitigate the constraints to participation that veterans commonly face. But OPVs themselves often face organizational constraints to service delivery. The COMPACT Act of 2020 required the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish an interagency task force to coordinate with public land agencies to enhance outdoor opportunities for veterans. A federal information request in 2022 asked veteran organizations and the public to identify constraints they experience seeking or facilitating outdoor opportunities as well as strategies for overcoming them. We analyzed public comments (n = 120) received in response to the information request. In their service delivery, we found that OPVs faced internal organizational constraints as well as administrative hurdles with both the VA and public land agencies. We described strategies identified by OPVs for negotiating these constraints. OPVs supported capacity-building initiatives to improve coordination, expand access to information, provide training, and identify mechanisms to support OPV programs. They also sought streamlined services to access VA grants and public land reservation and permit systems. Such improvements could reduce constraints to participation and promote improved veteran health.