Retired U.S. Army Colonel endorses Lopez for Statehouse

Letters to the Editor do not reflect the opinions of The Reporter, its publisher or its staff. You can submit your own Letter to the Editor by email to News@ReadTheReporter.com. Please include your phone number and city of residence. The Reporter will publish one letter per person per week.

Dear Reader:

Currently, 6 percent of Hoosier adults are veterans. They have put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms and liberties and have done so at great personal cost. To those who serve and have served, we owe a debt we can never fully repay.

Indiana has a long and proud history of producing and recognizing our nation’s veterans. Our state capital, Indianapolis, has more memorials and monuments to veterans than any city in the nation except Washington, D.C. But to fully honor our sacred obligation to support our military and veteran families, we must ensure they receive the resources they need to thrive.

Beyond their sacrifices, veterans bring a wealth of skills and experience to the table that are invaluable to our state and nation. Many veterans received specialized training and education through their military service, making them highly skilled and qualified to contribute in a wide range of industries and professions. Perhaps one of the most significant contributions that veterans bring is their ongoing commitment to service and community.

I’m proud of the important steps taken by Republicans in the State Legislature and Governor Holcomb in 2019 to give Hoosier veterans real tax relief, joining 36 other states by phasing in a full income tax exemption for their military pensions. But much more remains to be done to ensure we are meeting a new generation of Hoosier veterans where they are.

That’s why, as a Hoosier veteran, I am honored to support Danny Lopez for State Representative. Danny served as Governor Holcomb’s Deputy Chief of Staff and senior aide through the 2019 General Assembly and helped craft the Governor’s Next Level Agenda, which included the military pension income tax exemption. He not only understands the importance of investing in our veterans, but has shown he has the experience and collaborative, civil, pragmatic temperament to get it done!

In the coming years, we know the Indiana General Assembly will have to make tough decisions that will impact the State budget and the long-term fiscal health of our state. Hamilton County veterans and those across the state need leaders who have the relationships and experience necessary to ensure our priorities are protected and fought for, and Danny Lopez certainly checks all those boxes.

Kent Abernathy
Colonel, U.S. Army (retired)