If you are a veteran residing in the state of Michigan — and, according to the state, that number totals nearly 700,000 — announcements made recently by the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs will be important to you.

The department has launched four new websites —

— Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, www.michigan.gov/DMVA;

— Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, www.michigan.gov/MVAA;

— Michigan Veteran Homes, www.michigan. gov/MVH; and

— Michigan Youth Challenge Academy, www.michigan. gov/MYCA.

This launch is the result of a multi-year statewide website content management replacement project to update and replace more than 110 executive branch websites.

The goal is simple — to streamline information to veterans and ultimately make obtaining services easier, a top department official said in a news release.

“Our websites provide valuable information and services to our service members, employees, stakeholders and the communities we serve. That is why it was imperative that we remove and prevent barriers to accessibility while improving site navigation to key services so that all visitors will have a positive experience when interacting with our websites,” U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul D. Rogers, adjutant general and director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, stated in the release.

We recommend veterans and their loved ones take note of the new addresses online. It could be the first step in obtaining needed services.