A tragic Veterans Day statistic
By Rep. Robert Saucier
(D-Presque Isle)
Every November, I am humbled as Veterans Day approaches. It is a time to reflect on the sacrifices our veterans and service members have made for this country.
When I first ran for the Maine Legislature, one of my top priorities was to ensure the fair treatment of our veterans. I am proud to carry out that priority as I continue to serve on the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee.
This year, I am pleased that the Legislature came together in an act of bipartisanship to support a bill that helps our service members when they return home from active duty. The transition from active duty to civilian life can be difficult. Many come home with emotional and physical trauma and must find work in a struggling economy.
Every day, suicide claims the lives of 22 military veterans, which is over 8,000 men and women each year, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This tragic statistic demonstrates the need to ensure our service members are given every opportunity for success when they return home.
To ease the stress of returning home, we passed a law to strengthen and streamline the services provided to Maine’s veterans. The law, sponsored by Rep. Jared Golden, created a commission that will bring together lawmakers and veterans to identify gaps, duplications and inefficiencies in services and determine other ways to help our returning service members.
The study group consists of veterans of different ages, representatives of veterans organizations and legislators. It will report back to the Legislature before the next year’s session.
This session, we also eliminated the income tax on military pensions as a way to honor veterans for their dedicated service to our country. We join 22 other states that exempt military pensions from their income taxes.
Also, for those veterans who do not have a next of kin, a new law will provide a gravestone for deceased veterans. After all they have done for our country, it one last way to say thank you for their sacrifices.
A bill I mentioned in my previous column went into effect last month. Under Maine law, veterans of recognized war periods who are either disabled or 62 years and over are eligible for the modest property tax exemption.
Under the old law, veterans of the Vietnam War era are required to have served 180 days on active duty during a specified period to qualify for the property tax exemption. The new measure sponsored by Rep. Cathy Nadeau, eliminates the requirement, which does not apply to veterans of any other conflict.
Our service members and veterans deserve our deepest appreciation and gratitude for their sacrifices. It is our duty to honor them any way we can. I am proud of the work we accomplished this session and I look forward to continuing my efforts to honor our veterans.
Rep. Saucier has an extensive background in the military, with four years active duty in the United States Air Force and 24 years with the Maine Army National Guard. He is a retired officer with the Maine Army National Guard and former Commander of C Battery in Fort Kent and former commander of Headquarters Battery in Caribou.
