Carson City considering bills to help veterans

By the time this is published, I will have attended Veterans and Military Day at the Legislature in Carson City.

At the Veterans Wall at the State Capitol building, Gov. Brian Sandoval and other leaders will address the attendees, and other elected officials will be available to meet personally with veterans and active duty personnel. Students from Pahrump Valley High School are officially scheduled to be in the audience.

Currently there are numerous bills in the Assembly that have been introduced by the Nevada Dept. of Veterans Services, and it’s expected that some of those attending the annual event will lobby for passage. A few of the bills are noted as follows, as well as the committees they are sitting in as we go to press:

AB62: Revises certain provisions relating to veterans. It’s in the Government Affairs Committee.

AB71: Revises provisions relating to military veterans and members and relatives of members of the Nevada National Guard. In the Taxation Committee.

AB76: Makes changes relating to the education of veterans and their dependents. In the Education Committee.

AB89: Makes changes to provisions relating to certain professions: In the Education Committee:

AB103: Provides for the issuance of license plates for veterans who are awarded the Silver Star or Bronze Star. In the Transportation Committee.

All of the bills noted above are favored to pass. Officials are also poring over the state’s budget and are seeking to fund additional work at the Veterans Home in Boulder City. Information and applications for applying to be a resident at the home can be obtained by contacting Erin Dugger or Shirley Pfannebecker at 702-332-6717 or 702-332-6730.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: In addition to my visit to Carson City, I am planning to attend the 50th Vietnam Veterans Commemoration on April 18 at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. All veterans are invited to attend the event, which will pay tribute to veterans of the Vietnam War. The festivities will include a parade, guest speakers, lunch, static displays and a semi-formal dinner and dance. For an updated schedule, visit www.irwin.army.mil. Vietnam veterans can register at www.irwinarmy.mil/Pages/50th. Or, call (760) 685-8266.

Rep. Joe Heck, (R-NV) will be honored on July 15 at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas during a Red/White/Blue gala that is scheduled to pay tribute to America’s veterans. Heck is also a Brigadier General in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Hats off to Joe Tasby, a Marine Corps veteran who is very involved in several organizations. He’s an active member of the Catholic War Veterans, an active member of the Blind Lions organization, the Commander of American Legion Post 14 and the Commander of the local Blinded Veterans Association (BVA).

A blinded veteran himself, he wants all blinded veterans to know about the BVA in particular and in addition wants to inform locals that there are two Southern Nevada meetings each month that provide information and assistance. The BVA meets on the second Wednesday of the month at Las Vegas American Legion Post 8.

The Visual Impairment Services Team of the local U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs holds meetings on the first Friday of each month in Las Vegas on West Charleston Blvd. Both meetings are free to veterans with any type of visual impairments.

For additional details call Tasby at 702-869-8637. (He might even tell you about the American Legion, the Catholic War Veterans and the Blind Lions if you get him started!)

Army veteran, journalist and author Chuck N. Baker is a Purple Heart recipient of the Vietnam War, and the host of the “Veterans Reporter Radio Show” each Thursday night on KLAV-AM, 1230 on the dial. It’s also streamed live at www.klav1230am.com.