Vets Honored In Annual Service
VFW Post 4100 Chaplain Andy Grass thanked Water Valley Mayor Larry Hart and District 33 Representative Tommy Reynolds for their unwavering support of veterans and the local post during the Veteran’s Day service last Wednesday. Grass noted both men have attended the Memorial Day Service and Veteran’s Day Service each year. – Photo by David Howell
Vets Honored In Annual Service
By David Howell
Editor
WATER VALLEY – The nation’s veterans were honored during a ceremony held last Wednesday at the VFW Post 4100 located on Hwy. 315. An annual event on Nov. 11, the festivities started at 11 a.m. with Post Commander James Gordon presiding.
As the service got underway, chaplain Andy Grass first thanked the loyal speakers, citing unwavering support by Mayor Larry Hart and District 33 Representative Tommy Reynolds.
“I can’t remember a Memorial Day or Veteran’s Day when these two gentlemen were not present for our post,” Chaplain Andy Grass said.
Grass cited specific work by Hart and the city at the Veteran’s memorial in Railroad Park on Main Street.
“We have the nicest war memorial of any county around us,” Grass said.
Pointing to Reynolds, Grass also cited a recent example of his support for veterans.
“Representative Reynolds has sponsored and authored a bill in Jackson that makes it illegal to demonstrate at a veteran’s funeral,” Grass added.
“I just wanted both of you to know how much we appreciate it,” Grass told the group.
Gordon’s welcoming remarks followed, before Hart and Reynolds took the podium.
“Veterans are very special people in our communities across our land. Some hurt, some are suffering physically and some emotionally,” Hart told the group. “We always need to be mindful of our veterans and their service,” the mayor said.
Reynolds also expressed his gratitude for veterans.
“We have 225,000 veterans in the State of Mississippi, people that suspended their lives to participate in something bigger,” Reynolds told the group.
Reynolds cited recent work in state legislature to aid veterans, including a bill that allows a veteran to be designated as such on their state identification card. Reynolds also said a new veteran cemetery had been opened in Montgomery County. Reynolds also reported that House Bill 102 that allows the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to establish a Wounded Warriors program on wildlife management areas. This allows veterans who were injured special hunting opportunities periodically at specific locations with high deer density.
Reynolds next cited his work as a co-sponsor on House Bill 33, which provides tax relief to employers who hire unemployed veterans. The bill takes effect Jan. 1, 2016, provides tax credits to employers who hire honorably discharged military veterans who have served on active duty on or after 9/11 and who have been unemployed for at least six months.
Reynolds also said work is currently underway to establish a special veterans court to help some vets facing problems in the current court system.
Other speakers included Betty Hart, who sang the National Anthem and American the Beautiful and Sandra Churchill Keel, president of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary.
