Supporting Our Military
Missouri is blessed to be home to a number of major military installations, including Whiteman Air Force Base and its 509th Bomb Wing, one of only two Air Force units to operate the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber, and the United States Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence at Fort Leonard Wood. We’re also fortunate to have a Missouri National Guard force of 11,800 citizen-soldiers and airmen, some of whom are stationed at Rosecrans Air National Guard, which is critical to our region in northwest Missouri.
With such a strong military presence, it’s important that we in the General Assembly support our men and women in uniform in whatever way we can. During the 2017 session, lawmakers sponsored several measures to help our military. Senate Bill 108 grants re-employment rights to members of the military. It provides that Missouri employees who are members of the National Guard of another state and are called up for active state duty by the governor of that state shall be entitled to reemployment rights upon their return to Missouri.
Senate Bill 279 expands the list of documents that demonstrate eligibility for a veteran designation on an applicant’s driver’s license or ID card to include: a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs photo ID card or a discharge document showing a discharge status of “honorable” or “general under honorable conditions.”
While it’s true no piece of legislation will ever be enough to repay the selfless service and sacrifice of our military members and their families, it’s nevertheless important that we have policies in place that aim to do just that. Most importantly, measures like SB 108 and SB 279 send a clear message to Missouri’s military community that we value our soldiers and veterans and are committed to ensuring they’re never forgotten or taken for granted.
The governor signed both SB 108 and SB 279 on June 14. They will take effect Aug. 28.
As always, please feel free to call, email, or write with your ideas or concerns. My Capitol office number is (573) 751-1415, my email is dan.hegeman@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is Room 332, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.