Vets may get special plate decals
By Emelie Rutherford / News Staff Writer
Saturday, February 12, 2005
MetroWest lawmakers are rallying behind an effort to grant war veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan a privilege now only available to veterans from past armed conflicts: special license plate decals.
State Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, is the lead Senate sponsor of legislation filed this week to create the decals that are affixed to general veterans plates to reflect the tour of duty.
The Registry of Motor Vehicles provides decals for veterans of World War II and even conflicts such as in Grenada, but does not make them for those fresh from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Sen. Brown said.
"A lot of these guys, they come home and they like to go out and look at their car and say, 'Hey, we did something,'" said Brown, a National Guardsman whose district includes Natick and Franklin. "It's something that can be done pretty easily with minimal cost."
Army Staff Sgt. Kenneth Gormley, who returned from Iraq last year and works for the Franklin Department of Public Works, predicts the decals would be a hit.
"There's quite a few people in my unit who have the veterans plates, they're in their 20s, 30s," said Gormley, 34, adding he's sure they'd like the more-specific decals. "A lot of people I think are proud of where they were."
Marine Cpl. Steven Mazzuchelli of Milford, who said all his buddies who served in Iraq also have those veterans plates, agreed they'd like the differentiation. Though he doesn't have a car, he likes the decals idea because they differentiate between a veteran and a war veteran. And there's a potential perk, he said.
"It could help you with tickets," Mazzuchelli, who returned from Iraq two years ago, said with a laugh.
Marlborough veterans agent Gary Brown said veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan "absolutely" should be eligible for the decals.
"Why treat these people any different?," he asked.
Yet Army Maj. Stephen Misarski, a chaplain and reservist who returned from Iraq last year, said he won't be rushing out to get one of the plates. He thinks other services the Legislature could provide, including counseling and medical care, are more important.
The legislation, whose primary House sponsor was Rep. Edward Connolly, D-Everett, has been co-sponsored by 60 lawmakers including Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, Sen. Richard Moore, D-Uxbridge, Rep. Marie Parente, D-Milford and Rep. James Vallee, D-Franklin. It calls for creating a commission to design and distribute the decals.
The Registry does not have a prohibition against making the decals for veterans who served in Afghanistan and Iraq and just needs some prodding, according to Jonathan Little, legislative director for Brown.
By Emelie Rutherford / News Staff Writer
Saturday, February 12, 2005
MetroWest lawmakers are rallying behind an effort to grant war veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan a privilege now only available to veterans from past armed conflicts: special license plate decals.
State Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, is the lead Senate sponsor of legislation filed this week to create the decals that are affixed to general veterans plates to reflect the tour of duty.
The Registry of Motor Vehicles provides decals for veterans of World War II and even conflicts such as in Grenada, but does not make them for those fresh from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Sen. Brown said.
"A lot of these guys, they come home and they like to go out and look at their car and say, 'Hey, we did something,'" said Brown, a National Guardsman whose district includes Natick and Franklin. "It's something that can be done pretty easily with minimal cost."
Army Staff Sgt. Kenneth Gormley, who returned from Iraq last year and works for the Franklin Department of Public Works, predicts the decals would be a hit.
"There's quite a few people in my unit who have the veterans plates, they're in their 20s, 30s," said Gormley, 34, adding he's sure they'd like the more-specific decals. "A lot of people I think are proud of where they were."
Marine Cpl. Steven Mazzuchelli of Milford, who said all his buddies who served in Iraq also have those veterans plates, agreed they'd like the differentiation. Though he doesn't have a car, he likes the decals idea because they differentiate between a veteran and a war veteran. And there's a potential perk, he said.
"It could help you with tickets," Mazzuchelli, who returned from Iraq two years ago, said with a laugh.
Marlborough veterans agent Gary Brown said veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan "absolutely" should be eligible for the decals.
"Why treat these people any different?," he asked.
Yet Army Maj. Stephen Misarski, a chaplain and reservist who returned from Iraq last year, said he won't be rushing out to get one of the plates. He thinks other services the Legislature could provide, including counseling and medical care, are more important.
The legislation, whose primary House sponsor was Rep. Edward Connolly, D-Everett, has been co-sponsored by 60 lawmakers including Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, Sen. Richard Moore, D-Uxbridge, Rep. Marie Parente, D-Milford and Rep. James Vallee, D-Franklin. It calls for creating a commission to design and distribute the decals.
The Registry does not have a prohibition against making the decals for veterans who served in Afghanistan and Iraq and just needs some prodding, according to Jonathan Little, legislative director for Brown.