Taking care of our veterans
Legislative Update #58
In 2024 our U.S. Military has the smallest active force since before WWII in 1940. The military services missed their recruiting goals by 41,000 in 2023. In the 40 years between 1980 and 2020 there was a 58 percent decline in enlistments and a 73 percent decline in applicants. Presently only 23 percent of Americans between the ages of 17 and 24 even qualify, either physically or mentally, to serve…only 23 percent!
Last year only the U.S. Marine Corps and the Space Force met their recruitment goals. When asked their reasons for not joining the military, young people report physical and emotional trauma as the two main reasons for not considering military service.
Some people place the blame for this crisis on the Biden Administration for changing the focus of the military to things other than—as I learned in the U.S. Air Force—“Fly, Fight and Win!” As a recent example, consider the statement of Bishop Garrison who recently served as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s Senior Adviser for “Human Capital and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).” (Do we even need to ask why such a position is needed within the Defense Department?) Garrison was quoted as saying, “DEI needs to be part of every decision the military makes, it is a force multiplier and will make the military more lethal.” Huh? That makes no cornfield common sense to me!
Whether in the next fox hole, in the fighter jet off my wing, as a fellow sailor on a navy destroyer or storming a beach, you want someone by your side who is trained in combat tactics to destroy the enemy. Least of all do you care about your fellow combatant’s skin color or intersectionality score!
With all of these current assaults on the readiness and effectiveness of our current national military, the least we can do as Nebraskans is honor those who have already served their country with honor and patriotic spirit. Therefore, I am introducing two bills in this legislative session that will honor veterans who have nobly served.
One bill would allow veterans the privilege of hunting on Veteran’s Day for free. This Nebraska Game and Parks pass would have to be applied for with proof of service and must be in the hunter’s possession on Veteran’s Day. I believe this is one way of saying thanks to vets for their service to our nation.
Another bill I am introducing would allow veterans to bypass the hassle of renewing their driver’s licenses every four years until they become 65. This bill is similar to a law enacted in the state of Georgia and would simply require a veteran to show proof of military service to the Department of Motor Vehicles in order to qualify for the special license.
I believe it is imperative to honor our veterans as they have honored us with their sacrifice and
service. It was our first Commander in Chief, George Washington, who wisely said, “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.”
