Veterans Week of Advocacy in Minnesota

(KNSI) – This week is the first Veterans Week of Advocacy held in Minnesota.

Essentially it’s an expansion of the previous Veterans Day on the Hill event.

This year’s inaugural event will be done virtually due to the pandemic.

Executive Director at Disabled Veterans of Minnesota Trent Dilks was a guest of KNSI’s Bob Hughes and talked about how the week came to be.

“We thought, let’s go with the Veterans Week of Advocacy. Spend a week trying to highlight veterans’ issues here in the state. And when things return to normal next year, we’ll pack 1000 plus people in the rotunda. Veterans Day on the Hill will be part of a much bigger push for advocacy. So, a little silver lining.”

Dilks wants veterans and others to talk to their elected state officials to voice support for veterans’ issues.

Dilks would like to have veterans’ issues voted on separately instead of tucked into other bills to get votes.

He says the bills are often voted on during special sessions and used as pawns for other programs.

“So let’s pull it out. Right now, it could be a feel-good story, because I think it would get unanimous votes in both the House and Senate. Let’s pull it out, put it on the floor. Let them put their votes where their mouths are and move the veterans’ issues along.”

To get a hold of federal elected officials, Disabled American Veterans launched the Commanders Action Network.

“It’s absolutely terrific. You sign up for it once they’ll send you alerts when your representative or your senator at the national level is needed to take action. So, it doesn’t spam you with every bill that we’re following. It’s actually a targeted use. And there’s power in numbers.”

For more on what’s happening at the state level, click here.

To find your state Senator or Representative, Click here.

To get information on the federal level from the Commanders Action Network, click here.

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