Honoring N. C. military personnel and veterans
Published November 11, 2015
By Becki Gray
by Becki Gray, John Locke Foundation and NC SPIN panelist, November 11, 2015.
As we honor veterans today, it’s also fitting to celebrate North Carolina’s commitment to the military and veterans who have served so bravely.
From Bath, North Carolina’s first town and site of colonial and Native American conflicts, to Alamance Battleground, where backcountry farmers called Regulators fought for freedom against the British, to Bentonville, site of the largest battle ever fought in North Carolina and the last skirmish where the Confederates were able to hold back the Union Army, North Carolina has a rich military history.
From the U.S. Army’s Wildcats in World War I, to those who defended the U.S. in the Pacific on the battleship U.S.S. North Carolina in World War II, North Carolinians have a long and proud history of military service. On Union Square at the State Capitol, the Veteran’s Monument honors those who served in both World Wars and the Korean War. The Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial honors the more than 206,000 North Carolinians who served in that conflict.
Today, North Carolina has the fourth-largest military population in the United States. The Marine Corps and Army are the two largest branches with a North Carolina presence; the Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard are represented as well.
Fort Bragg has more general officers than any other Army installation in the country outside the Pentagon. North Carolina is home to five military bases, a military ocean terminal, and a U.S. Coast Guard base. In addition, our National Guard has over 100 facilities across the state with 13,200 personnel.
According to a state Commerce Department study, the military accounts for 10 percent of economic activity; it’s the second-largest economic sector in the state. The military supports 578,000 jobs (386,000 in the private sector), generating $34 billion in state personal income, and $66 billion in gross state product.
And with this strong military presence, a defense industry is flourishing with prime contracts issued through the federal Defense Department totaling more that $2.49 billion in 2014. These contracts are performed in 79 of North Carolina’s 100 counties.
As of June 2015, there are 102,000 active-duty military personnel assigned to units in North Carolina, and more than 78,000 are expected to leave the military in the next four years. About 790,000 veterans now call this state home, including 225,000 under the age of 50. You can find them in every county.
Military veterans received more than $8.2 billion in pension benefits, medical care, and other DOD support, a positive impact to North Carolina’s economy. They provide a large, highly skilled labor pool, everything from truck drivers to construction workers to medical personnel to high-tech communications.
With their military training they bring discipline, skills, leadership, and a work ethic like no other. They have dedicated their lives and careers to service and understand the price of freedom.
The governor made it a top priority and the General Assembly agreed that military affairs and veteran services are important to North Carolina. They have committed to making North Carolina the most military-friendly state in the country.
In this year’s budget, they created a new cabinet-level Department of Military and Veteran Affairs to ensure that military and veterans have an important voice in state government, an equal seat in the governor’s Cabinet and a strong voice representing North Carolina in Washington, D.C.
Appreciating that veterans’ training, discipline, and leadership skills are a valued asset to be nurtured and encouraged, the new law SL2015-116 waives the 12-month residency requirement and allows veterans to attend North Carolina’s universities and community colleges at the in-state tuition rate. SL2014-67 directs the University of North Carolina Board of Governors to look at granting course credit based on military training and experience.
Recognizing that veterans bring skill sets to job opportunities, recently passed laws streamline requirements for occupational licensing. SL2014-67 and SL2015-143 require occupational licensing boards to accept military specialty training, experience, and proficiency in issuing occupational licenses. SL2013-201 waives the commercial skills test for a commercial driver’s license for veterans with experience driving trucks, tanks, and military equipment. Veterans with military police experience get credit for training requirements to obtain a state law enforcement certificate.
Started as a pilot program in 2013 with a grant from Gov. Pat McCrory’s Crime Commission, North Carolina’s Veteran’s Treatment Court serves veterans who, while dealing with post traumatic stress disorder or other post-service problems, commit low-level, nonviolent crimes. The courts refer vets to services, pair them with mentors, and offer supervision and direction. The program has been very successful in getting vets back on their feet and is now expanding — with four locations across the state.
Under the McCrory administration, services for veterans are more accessible, consolidated, and available. By going to NC4Vets.com, veterans can access and search all federal, state, local, and nonprofit programs, benefits, and services in a one-stop website. Everything from employment to health care to federal Veterans Affairs benefits to housing to personal services to education — resources are available online, in a hard-copy publication, and at telephone numbers 844-NC4-VETS.
There are over 200 events across North Carolina honoring veterans this week. Find one near you and participate. Hire a vet. Give him a second chance if he needs it. Pass along the contact information for NC4Vets.com. Offer a warm handshake.
And to all our veterans: Thank you for your service. Thank you for keeping us safe and defending our freedom. We’re honored that you call North Carolina home.
