One of my greatest honors as your senator is taking part in Veterans Day tributes throughout Southwest Michigan to thank our service men and women for their outstanding dedication.

Let us never forget that we owe our liberty to the courageous veterans who put their country before themselves. The enormous sacrifice of our veterans and their families is a debt we can never fully repay.

However, I am proud that we have made significant strides to express our deep appreciation for the service of Michigan’s veterans in a real, meaningful way.

The state’s new Veteran’s Affairs Agency is now up and running and dedicated to improving customer service to the more than 650,000 military veterans in our state. I encourage all Michigan veterans to make sure they are receiving the benefits they have earned by visiting www.michigan.gov/veterans or by calling 1-800-MICH-VET.

Veterans often face real challenges transitioning into new careers when returning home, which is why I supported new laws to help honorably discharged veterans transfer their military skills and experience to the private sector.

Military experience and training will be accepted as part of the licensing requirements for several occupations, including emergency medical technicians, firefighters and security guards. Plus, the state will now waive initial license or registration fees for veterans in certain occupations.

There is also a new way for veterans to take advantage of discounts at many of their favorite retailers. All honorably discharged Michigan veterans can now obtain a special designation on their driver’s license or state ID displaying their veteran status. Eligible veterans may get the designation at no additional charge when renewing their license or ID or applying for an original.

Unfortunately, many of our service men and women do not return home. To honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, the governor can order the U.S. flag to be flown at half-staff throughout the state.

I encourage area families to sign up for an email service to notify residents when half-staff flag order has been made. Residents can sign up for the service at www.michigan.gov and clicking on “Half-staff Flag Alerts” on the right sidebar.

In heartfelt appreciation of our veterans for their sacrifice, I urge all Southwest Michigan residents to take time to thank them for their service.

 

Sen. John Proos, R-St. Joseph, represents the 21st District, which includes Berrien and Cass counties and most of Van Buren County.