FIRST, I will establish a Governor's Office of Military and Veterans Affairs.
No veteran or military family should have to navigate one agency after another with no single place responsible for the result.
This office will give both veterans and active duty military and their families a direct voice in the governor's office and a clear point of accountability across state government. We will have a dedicated team to assist and guide our veterans. And a team dedicated to our military veterans.
It will not be another layer of bureaucracy. Its job will be to cut through the layers that already exist.
SECOND, we will establish a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week Veterans Support Hotline.
When a veteran reaches out for help, the answer cannot be, "Call back on Monday." There will be one number to call at any hour, with someone responsible for connecting that veteran to the right help.
No runaround. No dead end. No veteran left wondering whether anybody is listening.
THIRD, we will deliver real healthcare solutions that will bring access to high-quality health care for our veterans. Anyone who has served should have access to a high-quality provider to serve them.
FOURTH, we will create a Community Grant Program for Veterans of Foreign Wars chapters, American Legion posts, and veteran-serving nonprofits.
These organizations know the veterans in their communities and are often the first to notice when someone needs a hand. Georgia should strengthen the people already doing that work.
FIFTH, we will establish a Veteran-Friendly Business Designation Program.
We’ll recognize employers that recruit, hire, and support veterans and military families. Military service builds leadership, discipline, teamwork, and judgment.
SIXTH, we will remove barriers to work by waiving professional licensing fees for veterans and military families.
A military family should not be handed another government bill or have to navigate new red tape simply because the military required them to move. We should be opening the door to opportunity, not charging them for the privilege of walking through it. And we will provide tax relief for veterans and the law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to keep us safe.
This plan is built around a simple standard:
A veteran should not have to battle the state government after fighting for our country. A military spouse should not be punished for the sacrifices that come with service. And local organizations holding veteran communities together should not have to carry that responsibility alone.
Our veterans' record is one of duty, courage, sacrifice, and service. Georgia's record should be worthy of theirs.
When I’m governor, the people who have had America's back will know Georgia has theirs.
-Rick Jackson
