A Letter Regarding Senate Bill 0577

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Indiana General Assembly;

I strongly urge you NOT to support Senate Bill 0577
(available at: http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2011&session=1&request=getBill&docno=577#latest_info)

In 2008 I served as the Deputy Commander of the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conducting counter-insurgency operations in Iraq. The 3400 Hoosiers that served with me faced enemy actions daily; many were wounded and two paid the ultimate sacrifice. To reduce the amount of tuition benefit for children of disabled veterans is an affront to these brave men and women. I understand that if the State budget can no longer support the tuition for children of disabled veterans this would be an entirely different matter; however this bill appears, through burden shifting, to reallocate these funds in order to allow the department of corrections to provide financial assistance for tuition, books and supplies for an incarcerated felony offender who enrolls in a college degree program. If this is the case, it is a betrayal to those who fight and preserve our security and freedom. Again, on behalf of all Hoosier veterans, I strongly urge you to vote this bill down.

Kind regards,

Ken Newlin
President Elect,
National Guard Association of Indiana