One of the great privileges of my time as Governor has been the many opportunities I’ve had to meet our military families and to pay tribute to their courageous dedication.
In a state with one of the highest percentages of veterans of any state in the country, honoring Maine’s proud tradition of military service has been critically important to my administration.
That’s why I am pleased to announce a bold new initiative for the state of Maine, a first-of-its kind website, which will connect veterans to the many programs and benefits they have earned because of their service to our country.
The new site was created by the Maine’s Bureau of Veterans’ Services and is now available by visiting www.maine.gov/veterans.
The site is designed to meet the needs of our state’s nearly 130,000 veterans, as well as, our Guard and Reserve members, spouses, children, caregivers, and community advocates. If you are a veteran or you know one, you will find this website incredibly helpful.
It has many features that have never before existed in Maine and some that can’t be found anywhere else in the country, including:
- An interactive map of nearly 400 veteran resources throughout Maine searchable by all 16 counties and across 16 categories of programs – such as education, employment, recreation and financial assistance for veterans
- A detailed Navigation Tool on the homepage that allows you to choose whether you are a veteran, a transitioning service member, or a caregiver (among others) and routes you to detailed information on the state and federal programs that are relevant to your needs
- This tool is the only one in the country that provides a link specific to employers to help them connect with – and hire – the incredibly talented pool of veterans and service members we’re fortunate to have here in Maine.
- Finally, it will also feature a centralized, statewide calendar of all of the free and discounted events for veterans and their families that are held across Maine throughout the year.
So, as you’re making plans for the Memorial Day weekend, I encourage you to visit the new statewide calendar to find a ceremony near you to honor those who have given so much.
I urge you to visit www.maine.gov/veterans to explore all that it has to offer, to share it with those in your community who may find it helpful, and to visit it whenever you have a question about the state and federal benefits that you have earned through your service.