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During a National Guard event over the weekend, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed into law a military benefits measure that will make it easier for former servicemembers to prove their military service, The Star-Ledger reports. 

According to the news source, the law mandates the state's Motor Vehicle Center to issue a veterans status on drivers' licenses if requested by former servicemembers. The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Cleopatra Tucker, who chairs the Assembly Veterans Affairs Committee, and Rep. Herb Conaway, Jr., M.D., an Air Force Medical Corps veteran. 

"Plain and simple, this legislation will make life easier and more convenient for veterans of all ages," Christie told reporters during the event. "With this single point of identification, veterans will now have easier access to services and discounts at businesses across the state."

The pro-veterans initiative comes at a much-needed time for Christie, who was under fire earlier this year for his proposed changes to New Jersey's civil service system, which would streamline promotions by allowing managers to "move" state employees without examinations, the news source previously reported. Lawmakers and veterans harshly criticized the changes, claiming that they would eradicate veterans' preference in the hiring system. However, The Star-Ledger reports that Christie recently assured veterans that their employment preference would remain despite the proposed changes.