The Hard Way to Get a Moose Permit? 

Serve in Iraq or Afghanistan.

A press release from anti-war Rep. Peter Welch:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 4, 2008

CONTACT:  

Andrew Savage

Welch lauds Vt. law establishing moose permit program for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans

“I commend the Vermont legislature and Governor for their bipartisan work to see this idea through, from a cafeteria in Iraq to a convenience store in Plainfield.”

Plainfield, VT – Rep. Peter Welch joined Members of the Vermont General Assembly, Governor Jim Douglas, and Waneta Mayhew, mother of Spc. Clinton Holt, for a bill signing ceremony in Plainfield today.

While in Iraq in January, Welch had a meal with a group of Vermont soldiers. When asked by Welch what they needed, Spc. Holt, an avid outdoorsman from Plainfield, responded that he hoped for a moose permit this year.

Welch conveyed the wishes of Spc. Holt to members of the Vermont General Assembly, which lead to the passage of H.788, an act establishing a moose permit program for veterans of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.  The law sets aside five of Vermont’s 1,000 moose permits for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“There are very simple things those of us in Vermont enjoy each day that our soldiers serving us in Iraq and Afghanistan go without. A chance at a moose permit sounds small, but this law serves as recognition of what is being sacrificed by our soldiers,” said Welch.  “I commend the Vermont legislature and Governor for their bipartisan work to see this idea through, from a cafeteria in Iraq to a convenience store in Plainfield.”

Photo: Sgt. Joseph E. Nelson, St. Albans; Sgt. Melinda Heck, Winooski; Rep. Peter Welch; LTC Will Osburn, Helotes, TX (Vermont Law School graduate); SSG Byron Braswell, Sharon; and SPC Clinton Holt, Plainfield.