Ragan: Our 2012 accomplishments for vets

From Sen. Amanda Ragan –

We’ve just celebrated Veterans Day and are quickly approaching Thanksgiving. Now—and throughout the year—we should remember and thank the vets we know for their service.

Record numbers of Iowa service members have been returning home as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down. We must keep our promises to these men and women—and to thousands of others from previous conflicts.

Iowa is a national leader when it comes to supporting veterans, service members and their families. Each year, we work to improve services at the state and county levels. We want returning service members to make a smooth transition back to civilian life, and to know that we are grateful for their sacrifices.

Our 2012 accomplishments include:

• Ensuring returning service members get promised help paying for college by increasing support for the Iowa National Guard tuition assistance program. Many returning service members want to improve their skills to provide a better future for their families, and local employers are eager to hire them because they know how to take on challenges and succeed.

• Easing worries active duty service members may have about their families losing their lease, being evicted or facing disconnection of their gas, electric and other utilities by expanding eligibility for the Iowa National Guard Civil Relief Act.

• Eliminating the waiting list of veterans who need emergency assistance for home repairs, urgent medical and dental care, and other pressing needs by putting more money into the Veterans’ Trust Fund.

• Opening doors to employment for returning service members by waiving the driving skills test for a Commercial Driver’s License if they have the proper training and work experience from their time in the service.

• Expanding long-term care options at the Iowa Veterans Home for Iowans suffering from combat-related post-traumatic stress and substance abuse.

• Helping veterans buy a home of their own in Iowa by providing home-buying assistance.

• Allowing Iowa military veterans to request that their Iowa driver’s license or state ID card note that they are veterans. This will make applying for veterans benefits simpler and more straightforward.

• Allowing veterans to receive a six-month extension of their driver’s license by showing their Department of Defense common access card or a certificate of release from active duty.

These are just a few of the ways Iowa legislators of both parties worked together to invest in our service members, our veterans and their families.