MORGANTOWN – Attention, veterans: West Virginia wants you.
Not only that, the state is also offering incentives for you to move here, buy a home here and begin a new life here.
The program is called “Ascend Heroes,” and those who served and take advantage, will receive $12,000 in relocation monies, which will be distributed over two years in 24 equal monthly payments.
And that comes with the option, Gov. Patrick Morrisey said, to roll any remaining balance into a lump sum, upon purchasing a house within West Virginia’s borders.
“Veterans represent some of the very best our country has to offer,” the governor said.
“We are opening the door for those who have already given so much to build their next chapter here – while strengthening our workforce, growing our communities and building a brighter future for our state.”
Vets are invited to settle in any number of “Ascend” areas across the state, Morrisey said, including the Morgantown and Charleston areas.
Add the Eastern Panhandle, the New River Gorge, Greater Elkins and the Greenbrier Valley to that, he said. New arrivals will be given a six-month window to settle in while they make their acquaintance with the Mountain State.
The program was established by the state, with the help of Wing 2 Wing Foundation and West Virginia University.
Marshall University President Brad D. Smith, who co-founded the Wing 2 Wing Foundation, said the Mountain State is an easy sell once people actually see it.
That the latest Ascend off-shoot is geared to those who wore the uniform makes it all the more gratifying, he said.
“ ‘Almost Heaven’ is more than just a slogan,” he said. “West Virginia’s combination of natural beauty, strong community values and economical opportunity makes it an ideal opportunity to plant roots and survive.”
Roger that, said Michael T. Benson, his presidential counterpart at WVU.
“We’re inviting veterans to the Mountain State with our thanks and support, Benson said, “knowing they’ll become vital parts of our communities and find true homes.”
The veterans program is under the umbrella of “Ascend West Virginia,” which was created in 2021 and has welcomed 1,400 now-established residents hailing from 48 states and eight countries.
A similar offering, “Teachers Ascend into West Virginia,” was created in 2022 by WVU, the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative and West Virginia Department of Education as a way to answer teacher shortages across the state.
Monongalia County Schools last year welcomed five teachers into its classrooms here.
The teachers hailed from Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Richmond, Va. – and two of them were WVU graduates wanting to come home.
