By Rep. Jason Isaac
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – There are no words to describe our gratitude towards those who risk their lives to protect our families and our country. The magnitude of their sacrifice is simply incomparable. Thank you to our veterans and their families who serve our country and defend our freedoms.
Shortly after being elected State Representative, I had a friend of a friend, whose son would soon be returning from duty, mention to me how cumbersome it could be for veterans to prove that they had, in fact, served our country. Many businesses, organizations, and events provide certain discounts and benefits to this honorable group of citizens, but often the only proof of service that they have is their discharge paperwork. These military forms contain a lot of personal, private information and it seemed unnecessary for veterans to constantly carry them around in order to prove their status.
After hearing this story, the first bill I filed allowed veterans to add a small endorsement to their driver’s license. Now, after showing proof of service when renewing or replacing their license, the word Veteran can be added to the license at no charge. This simple, no-cost solution made day-to-day life more convenient for those who have bravely served our country.
Over the past few years, the Legislature has also been successful in providing a property tax exemption to the surviving spouse of a disabled vet or a vet who was killed in action (pending voter approval of the constitutional amendment), creating a Bronze Star license plate for Texans who have been awarded the Bronze Star for their service to our country, and most recently, establishing an official Honor & Remember flag to recognize those who have lost their lives defending our freedom.
The Honor & Remember flag is a nationally recognized symbol of gratitude and will be flown by state offices and other organizations on certain days, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, & Veteran’s Day, as well as on any day that a Texas resident is killed in action. It has been a great privilege to present Honor & Remember flags to cities and veteran’s organizations throughout Hays and Blanco counties. Flags are available for purchase at honorandremember.org.
Although no license plate, tax exemption, flag, or benefit can ever repay the debt owed to our veterans, I hope these efforts are a small token of appreciation for their service. As Veteran’s Day approaches, please keep those members of our armed forces who are currently serving us today in your thoughts and prayers, and take a moment to thank a veteran for their service. My family and I remain forever grateful for their sacrifice.
