Please Join Us
The Iowa Commission of Veterans Affairs invites you to join us for the annual Veterans Day at the Capitol. You will have an opportunity to meet with your elected officials and discuss key issues affecting our Iowa veterans. A number of veteran-related organizations will be available to make you more aware of the services that they provide. We hope to see you at the 2018 Veterans Day at the Capitol.
Schedule
January 23, 2019
9:00 AM – American Legion Family Briefing – Department Headquarters. A shuttle will be provided to and from the Capitol.
9:00 – 10:00 AM – Visit vendor tables – Capitol Rotunda – First Floor
10:00 – 10:30 AM – Veterans Day Program – Capitol Rotunda – First Floor (See flyer for program details)
- Steve Lukan – Master of Ceremonies
- Executive Director of the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs
- Daniel J. Gannon – Chair, Iowa Commission of Veterans Affairs
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Chaplain
- Invocation/Moment of Silence
- Governor Kim Reynolds
- Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg
- Brig. Gen. Shawn Ford – Deputy Adj. Gen.
- Chair, Senate Veterans Affairs Committee
- Ranking Member, Senate Veterans Affairs Committee
- Chair, House Veterans Affairs Committee
- Ranking Member, House Veterans Affairs Committee
- Timon Oujiri – Commandant Iowa Veterans Home
- Ray “Bubba” Sorensen – Freedom Rock Artist
- Small Business Administration Presentation
- Jane Armstrong and Jo Eckert
- Chaplain
- Benediction
10:30 AM – Locate your elected officials to discuss legislative initiatives
Noon – Depart Capitol
Any further inquiries can be directed to Mari Mielke at 515-252-4698 or mari.mielke@iowa.gov.
2019 Legislative Priorities (January 23, 2019, at The Iowa State Capitol)
- Proclamation for American Legion Centennial
The American Legion, Department of Iowa, petitions the Legislature of the State of Iowa and the Governor of the State of Iowa to recognize the centennial of the six-month formation period of The American Legion in Iowa from March 15 through September 16, and for a proclamation celebrating the significant accomplishments of The American Legion, and that a public signing by the Governor and the leaders of both parties in the Iowa Senate and House of Representatives be held.
- Iowa Patriots Memorial Highway
The American Legion, Department of Iowa, supports the recognition and designation of U.S. Highway 20 as the Iowa Patriots Memorial Highway and the placement of markers indicating same.
- Veterans’ Treatment Courts
The American Legion urges the State of Iowa to establish and expand Veterans Treatment Courts.
Veteran Treatment Courts are hybrid Drug Courts and Mental Health Courts and have evolved out of the growing need for a treatment court model designed specifically for justice-involved veterans to maximize efficiency and economize resources.
Many veterans that enter the veteran treatment courts are not aware of their federal, state, county and a variety of additional benefit programs, in particular, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits for compensation, pension and health care.
Grouping justice-involved veterans into a specific court docket significantly expedites access to veteran-specific resources, including benefits and treatment earned through military service and provides options for treatment as opposed to incarceration.
- Support Licensure and Certification of Servicemembers and Veterans
The American Legion supports efforts to eliminate employment barriers that impede the timely and successful transfer of military job skills to the civilian labor market.
The American Legion requests that the Governor of Iowa, the Iowa Legislature and all Departments and branches of the Government of Iowa as well as all counties and municipalities take appropriate steps to ensure that servicemembers and veterans be trained, tested and evaluated and that they have the opportunity to obtain a credential (i.e., licensure, certification, certificate, degree, etc.) that may be required in the civilian workforce.
The American Legion supports efforts to increase the civilian labor market’s acceptance of the training, education and prior experience provided by the United States Military.
- Veterans Property Tax Exemption
The American Legion requests the State of Iowa adjust the veterans’ property tax exemption to $5,000.
- Support Funding for Existing Veteran Benefits
The American Legion supports funding existing state veterans’ benefits and programs to include, but not limited to the following:
- Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs
- Iowa Veterans Cemetery
- Iowa Veterans Trust Fund
- Iowa Veterans Home
- Military Home Ownership Program
- Injured Veteran Grant Program
- County Veterans Affairs Allocation Funds
For more information on Legislative Day, click here.