One of the major struggles that veterans face during life after service is finding a job. With this is mind, lawmakers in Midland, Michigan, have created a bill that will assist retired veterans in familiarizing themselves with their employment benefits. The bill was established by Sen. Jim Stamas and is currently being passed to Gov.Rick Snyder for consideration.
A bill to assist veterans after deployment
The legislation would push Michigan's Veterans Affairs Agency to send "welcome home" letters to veterans returning home to Michigan from deployment. The letter would include information, including benefits, that will not only assist them in more smoothly transitioning to civilian life, but also remind them of how the state appreciates their sacrifice.
"Our veterans and their families make tremendous sacrifices to protect our freedoms and way of life, yet many of them face real challenges when returning home from duty," Stamas told MLive. "This reform is part of our ongoing effort to show our appreciation to Michigan's 650,000 veterans by ensuring our state is doing its best to assist their transition into civilian life and new careers."
According to MLive, the Michigan Senate passed Stamas' Senate Bill 52 in March and was recently approved by the Michigan House of Representatives on May 12. The bill is expected to greatly assist veterans, as the letters sent out by the Michigan Veteran Affairs Agency will provide useful tools that will lead retired servicemembers to veterans service organizations. The Veterans Affairs Agency is relatively new to the state, as it was established by Executive Reorganization Order 2013-2, which Stamas implemented in 2013.
"We created the state's Veterans Affairs Agency as a one-stop-shop for veterans, and it just makes sense that our outreach to veterans returning home comes from the agency dedicated to them," Stamas explained to the news source.
Stamas has high hopes for new bill
The executive order established in 2013 also assigns the agency the responsibility of serving as the coordinating office for all of the agencies of the executive branch that handles the service programs for veterans.
"I sponsored this legislation to help better connect veterans with the benefits they earned and employment and education opportunities that can help them live the American Dream that they honorably served to protect," Stamas said.
Both chambers of the Michigan Legislature passed the bill unanimously. Stamas, who represents Michigan's 36th District, including Alcona, Alpena, Arenac, Gladwin, Iosco, Midland, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego and Presque Isle counties, is confident that Gov. Snyder will show his support for the bill as well. Stamas represented the 98th District in the Michigan House of Representatives for three years and was then elected in 2014 to take the place of U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar for his first term in the Michigan Senate.
Michigan veterans who want to learn more about the bill or have questions pertaining to how the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency works can visit the agency's website for assistance.