NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- With Hispanic Heritage coming to a close soon, New York City is showing its appreciation for its Hispanic American veterans.

The organizers of the annual New York City Veterans Parade announced on Wednesday that two veterans -- Cpt. Mercedes Elias and John Escalante -- will serve as honorary marshals for this year's event next month.

"As we continue to celebrate the tremendous contributions of Hispanic Americans, we are enormously grateful to Mercedes Elias and John Escalante for their service," said Mark Otto, President and Executive Director of the United War Veterans Council. "Mercedes and John are outstanding veterans who have displayed courage, dedication, and patriotism, and we are proud to have them help lead this year's parade as Honorary Marshals."

The New York City Veterans Day Parade is the nation's largest event honoring service.

The parade is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. till 3 p.m. [READ MORE...]

A new report commissioned by the New York Health Foundation (NYHealth) and conducted by RAND offers a comprehensive assessment of the mental and physical health needs, access to care, and other factors like food security affecting recently separated veterans in New York. It offers the first comprehensive look at New York veterans’ health and social service needs since RAND’s landmark needs assessment nearly 14 years ago. 

Key findings include: 

• High Disability Rates: More than 60% of new veterans have a disability, double the rate from 2010.   

• Mental Health Challenges: 25% have probable depression or PTSD, with nearly 20% experiencing both.   

• Unmet Mental Health Needs: Although 97% of the newest veterans have health insurance, many report unmet mental and physical health needs. 25% don’t know where to find appropriate care, and 40% doubt the effectiveness of mental health services. 

• Preference for Community Care: New York’s newest veterans report positive experiences in both U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities and those in the community paid for by VA. But nearly 60% of veterans prefer to receive care in their communities rather than at VA facilities. 

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