A newly appointed committee has begun a study of Mecklenburg County's military veterans and a review of services available to them and their families through the County's Veterans Services Office. Once completed, the Status of Veterans Initiative (SOVI) steering committee will present recommendations to the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners. The steering committee includes veterans, representatives of veterans associations, and congressional liaisons who will serve as ex-officio members. The project has a planned January 30, 2007 completion date. In 2005, Mecklenburg County's veteran population was 57,000.