Honoring our veterans

Every year on Nov. 11, Americans celebrate Veterans Day to commemorate and give thanks to the brave men and women who have served our country.

The commitment to serve our country has deep roots in our Hoosier heritage, with nearly 500,000 veterans living in our state. Each year, lawmakers look for ways to continue supporting these brave men and women, whether it be through financial, tuition, health care or counseling assistance.

During the 2019 legislative session, the Indiana General Assembly passed a measure that phases in a tax exemption for military retirement benefits by 2022.

In addition, Indiana recently launched a new online portal to help veterans and their families determine which state benefits they may be entitled to and provides links to benefit applications.

Indiana also offers veterans a variety of higher education resources, such as:

• In-State Tuition for Veterans: All honorably discharged veterans who enroll at an Indiana public college within one year of discharge are eligible for in-state tuition.
  
  
• Free College for Indiana National Guard Members: The National Guard Supplemental Grant ensures that all Indiana Air and Army National Guard members receive 100% tuition and fee support while pursuing higher education.
  
  
• Free College for Purple Heart Recipients: Indiana pays for eight semesters (124 credit hours) of college for honorably discharged Purple Heart recipients from Indiana.

Since our country's founding, generations of Americans have reaffirmed their dedication and loyalty to our country by serving in the military.

May we never take our freedom – and their sacrifices – for granted. When you see a veteran, please take time to thank them for their service.