LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR MURRAY ANNOUNCES 3rd ANNUAL STATEWIDE VETERANS TOUR
Events across the Commonwealth to raise awareness and promote resources for more than 390,000 MA veterans
Later today, Lieutenant Governor Murray is expected to join Governor Deval Patrick and Secretary Coleman Nee of the Massachusetts Department of Veterans' Services to officially kick off the tour during a State House ceremony to unveil the Moving Memorial dedicated to Massachusetts servicemen and women who have fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan. The interactive memorial, which will be displayed in Memorial Hall at the State House through the end of June, includes a searchable database of Massachusetts service members who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our nation's freedom in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. The Moving Memorial is organized by the Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund.
"Massachusetts is proud to support more than 390,000 veterans across the state as we lead the nation in providing services and benefits for veterans and their families," said Governor Patrick. "With Lieutenant Governor Murray's leadership, this annual tour brings to focus the needs of the veterans community as well as the chance to thank the brave men and women who have served our country."
"Over the last four years, through the work of the Council, it has been a great opportunity to work side by side with veterans and their families," said Lieutenant Governor Murray. "I look forward to visiting regions across the state to thank our veterans for their service, promote available resources and benefits for veterans and their families, and hear directly from our veterans for how to expand upon current services."
As the Chairman of the Governor's Advisory Council on Veterans' Services, Lieutenant Governor Murray has led a group of veterans and veterans' advocates for the last four years as they have worked to promote and improve the Administration's outreach and service delivery to veterans and their families. Building on the success of the 2009 and 2010 tours, the 3rd Annual MASS Veterans Tour is an opportunity to promote services offered by the state as well as local and federal government and private and non-profit organizations for veterans and their families.
"I am proud to join Lieutenant Governor Murray on his third annual MASS Veterans' Tour and for the unveiling of this beautiful and touching memorial to those that have made the ultimate sacrifice," said Secretary of Veterans' Services Coleman Nee. "Massachusetts continues to be a national leader in veterans' services. The Patrick-Murray administration's continued commitment to veterans will ensure that we continue this proud legacy. Each year, this tour draws attention to the issues facing our veterans here in the Commonwealth while highlighting the extensive programs and services in place to assist and support our veterans and military families."
Staff from the Department of Veterans' Services or Lieutenant Governor Murray's Office will be available at each event to answer questions about veterans' programs and benefits in the Commonwealth.
Watch a two minute video recapping the 2009 Inaugural Tour and Learn More about the 2011 Tour.
3rd Annual MASS Veterans' Tour Schedule:
Friday, May 27, 2011
State House Veterans Memorial Unveiling with Governor Patrick
3:30 p.m.
State House, Memorial Hall
Monday May 30, 2011 - Memorial Day
Worcester's 124th Memorial Day Observance and Remembrance Ceremony
8:45 a.m.
Hope Cemetery, 119 Webster St, Worcester
Tuesday May 31, 2011
MA State Defense Force Re-Activation Ceremony
3:30 p.m.
National Guard Museum, 44 Salisbury Street, Worcester
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Mass Maritime Visit with Assistant Secretary of the Navy Juan Garcia
1:30 p.m.
Mass Maritime Academy, Buzzards Bay
Thursday June 2, 2011
Ribbon Cutting for the Holyoke Soldiers' Home Dental Clinic
3:00 p.m.
Holyoke Soldiers' Home, 110 Cherry Street, Holyoke
Friday June 3, 2011
An announcement relative to e-health technology at VA Hospitals followed by a Cabinet Meeting
10:30 a.m.
Vecna Technologies, 36 Cambridgepark Drive, Cambridge
* Announcement is OPEN PRESS; Cabinet Meeting is CLOSED PRESS.
Monday June 6, 2011
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company June Day Event
2:30 p.m.
Boston Common, Boston
Tuesday June 14, 2011
Quarterly Meeting of the Governor's Advisory Council on Veterans' Services
3:00 p.m.
Chelsea Soldiers' Home, 91 Crest Avenue, Chelsea
Wednesday June 15, 2011
Veterans Roundtable at the Boston Career Center
2:30 p.m.
JobNet, First Floor, 210 South Street, Boston
Friday June 17, 2011
6th Annual Central MA Stand Down
3:00 p.m.
Veterans, Inc.'s Independence Hall, 59 South Street, Shrewsbury
About Massachusetts Veterans' Services :
The Commonwealth is a nationwide leader in the services provided for veterans and is continuing its commitment to advancing their opportunities. In 2009, Governor Patrick signed into law on Veterans' Day legislation that expanded the services offered to the Commonwealth's veterans and their families, including increasing the cash bonus available to service members who serve multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. The law also called for an establishment of a "Medal of Liberty" that will be awarded to the next of kin of any Massachusetts service member killed in action or who dies as a result of wounds received while in action.
The work of the Governor's Advisory Council on Veterans' Services and its partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Veterans' Services, other state agencies, and veterans' organizations has led to many services and benefits for veterans. Over the past two years, Massachusetts has been awarded three grants, totaling approximately $1 million, from the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Workforce Investment Program and Homeless Reintegration Program to support training and job placement opportunities for veterans. In September 2010, Massachusetts was also the recipient of $4.1 million in federal stimulus funding to support broadband infrastructure, including the creation of a comprehensive web portal for veterans and family members to make online access of veterans' services more streamlined, safe and effective.
For more information about the Department of Veterans' Services, including affordable, no-down payment mortgage financing for veterans run by MassHousing, Chapter 115 Benefits, and a 24 hour suicide prevention and benefit referral hotline run by the Department of Veterans' Services, visit www.mass.gov/veterans.
###