By Mary Welander
State Rep., D-114
Mary Welander
The ongoing conflict after Russia invaded Ukraine has brought new attention to the importance of democracy and of supporting the members of our armed forces, both during and after they have served.
My heart goes out to the citizens of Ukraine who are bravely fighting for their country. If you would like to help the most vulnerable affected you can donate at unicefusa.org, doctorswithoutborders.org or voices.org.ua/en/, a Ukrainian based organization that provides support for children impacted by armed conflict.
Supporting veterans is very important to me. Last session I pushed for legislation that would allow for the skills gained during military service to be acknowledged in the trade licensure process. Unfortunately, that proposal was not successful, so this session I created a new way to support our veterans as they transition to civilian life and work to create new professional pathways.
Coming out of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, my proposal would create a grant program that would allow veterans who live in Connecticut to apply for reimbursement for the testing and licensure fees associated with most trades; the yearly licensure fees for the first five years after that license was initially granted; up to $1,000 toward tuition/program fees; and fees assigned to a master technician supervising a veteran apprentice.
A public hearing on this proposal will be scheduled soon. Some of the program details may change, but my hope is to provide assistance to the men and women who have served our country so that opportunities like this are more accessible. We need skilled tradespeople across every sector of our economy. We should be supporting everyone who would like to enter these fields – especially those who have given so much already.
A second approach to supporting our veterans is through suicide prevention. I am proud to join Sen. James Maroney, Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey, Rep. Kurt Vail and many others as a host in the bipartisan effort to provide information and support about this issue.
Our summit last year focused on student mental health, and I am so pleased that this year we will be shifting attention to veteran support. My family has always been proud of my brothers, who are all combat veterans. But we have seen firsthand the impact that military service can have on the mental health of those who serve and their loved ones. Bringing more support and attention to this crisis is incredibly important.
This year’s summit is scheduled for April 1 from 10 a.m. to noon via Zoom. If you would like to join the discussion and access available resources, please contact my office at Mary.Welander@cga.ct.gov or Maroney’s office at James.Maroney@cga.ct.gov. If you are unable to join but are interested in this issue, we can also share all available resources with you, so please reach out.
If you or a loved one are currently struggling, you can find important information on recognizing signs and getting help right away at military.com/benefits/veterans-health-care/suicide-prevention.