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Show your gratitude by
helping returning soldiers and their families
by Rep. Dan Kristiansen
Last week, American troops
began the first phase of withdrawing from Iraq. They have moved out from
that nation's cities and, under a U.S.-Iraqi agreement, all troops will
be out by the end of 2011.
As thousands of soldiers
return home to Washington, it will be important within our communities
that leaders, businesspeople, neighbors and friends not only welcome
them with open arms, but help these men and women transition into the
next phases of their lives.
A struggling economy
awaits our returning soldiers. Many will need jobs to support their
families. As a small business owner, my personal experience has been
that veterans and their spouses make great employees. They bring with
them a work ethic, loyalty, an understanding of teamwork, and worldly
experiences to the table. Hiring a qualified veteran is one way to
strengthen your work team and show appreciation for his or her service.
Helping veterans and their
families find program resources is another way to show our debt of
gratitude. A great resource is the Washington State Department of
Veterans Affairs. Its Web site,
www.dva.wa.gov, provides a wealth of information regarding benefits
and services to veterans and military families, including counseling,
employment, education, health care, and free or reduced passes to state
parks, ferries, fishing and hunting licenses, and motor vehicle
licenses.
Some veterans wanting to
continue their education may be concerned about accessibility and
affordability to our state's colleges and universities. It was my honor
to introduce and pass legislation three years ago that provides tuition
waivers for veterans. At a time when tuition costs are rising, this is a
valuable benefit for returning soldiers.
Tuition waivers are also
allowed for a child and the spouse of an eligible veteran or National
Guard member who became totally disabled or lost his or her life while
engaged in active service. This year, we expanded that eligibility to
adopted children and step children.
I was also pleased this
year to support passage of House Bill 1478. This measure allows deployed
military personnel to renew their vehicle registrations and have that
registration year start on the date the expired license is renewed. This
effectively makes the renewed license useful for an entire 12-month
period.
The Legislature also
approved two veterans' measures I co-sponsored. House Bill 1050 removes
roadblocks for veterans seeking employment or a job promotion with state
or local municipalities. Senate Bill 5481 (I co-sponsored the House
version) allows unclaimed veterans' remains to be transferred to the
Department of Veterans Affairs for a final and honorable military
burial.
We owe our veterans and
their families an enormous debt of support and gratitude for their
service to our nation. Their dedication and sacrifices have preserved
our ability to live, work and raise our families in a free nation.
Soon our soldiers will be
returning home from a long and hard-fought conflict. Whether it is
offering a ride to the doctor, providing a job, or showing them and
their families where to turn for resources, let us all do our part -- no
matter how great or small -- to ease and welcome their transitions back
to civilian lives.
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EDITOR'S NOTE:
State Rep. Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish,
represents the 39th Legislative District, and also serves as chairman of
the Washington House Republican Caucus. He can be contacted at (360)
786-7967 or from his Web site at:
www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/Kristiansen.
For more information, contact:
John
Sattgast, Senior Information Officer: (360) 786-7257
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