Veterans License Plates

[Chimo]

I live in the great state of Texas, and it seems that the support of the military in the USA, in general, is overwhelming. I have seen plates from all over the union that have Veteran, Purple Heart, Bronzes Stars and Army National Guard etc.

I guess you have to listen to your own gut and look at your own motives for purchasing such a "vanity" plate. Although I qualify as a veteran, I think I will pass until the day I turn in my ID Card. If someone else wants it for whatever reason, good on you...

The positive of this is that Canadians will be reminded everyday that there are average "heroes" amongst them. That can't be anything but good. 

 

[IPC10]

I like how Alabama solved the problem. 

http://www.ador.state.al.us/motorvehicle/militaryview.html

Specific plate denotes how the plate was 'earned'.  Civilian's get as much out of it as the current plate - yeap it says vet on it.  For those who know, identifies why the plate was 'awarded' (lacked a good term).

I guess I just prefer bumper stickers......honk if you love Jesus.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

  http://www.thepost.ca/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentid=131341&catname=Local+News

Veterans may park for free in city
Roman Zakaluzny
Local News - Friday, October 28, 2005 @ 09:00

KAWARTHA LAKES - 'Free Parking ' is a spot on the Monopoly board.
And it may soon be reality for the city's veterans.
Veterans, or at least vehicles that have a veteran licence plate, can park for free in the City of Kawartha Lakes, if council approves a committee proposal next month.

Some members of the Lindsay Legion called it a "good tribute" and a nice act of remembrance.
One city councillor, who is himself a veteran, worried it would be abused.
The idea was added to the municipality's consolidated parking control bylaw, discussed this week and scheduled for final approval Nov. 15.

Councillors on Wednesday dealt with a number of issues which, years after amalgamation, have yet to be consolidated into a city-wide bylaw. Among them was parking, which is still governed by a mishmash of pre-amalgamation rules that vary depending on geography, forcing parking enforcement officers to keep track.

The new rules would take effect city-wide as early as Jan. 1. Some aspects include:

"¢ no parking on municipal roads or municipal parking lots anywhere between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Nov. 1 until April 30 every year, unless otherwise noted;

"¢ no vehicles weighing more than a tonne when empty can park on a road at any time, except if it's engaged in an industrial, agricultural, construction- or moving-related service;

"¢ a number of private entities will continue formal partnerships with the city, whereby their lots are patrolled by the city, which in return collects ticket revenues.
All such partnerships noted in the bylaw are in Lindsay, some of which include Fleming College, Ross Memorial Hospital, the Lindsay Locks and Whitney Town Centre.

Penalties vary for for non-compliance. Fines could be as high as $300 for parking illegally in a handicapped zone. Autos may also be immobilized or impounded.
"Municipalities have the power to tow away," said Brian Donaldson, a consultant brought on to help with consolidation. "It's not used very often, but it sends a message, which needs to be used from time to time."
A number of parking-related ideas have been floated around in the past, including adding more loading and disabled parking areas, as well as creating special provisions for veterans and horse-drawn carriages. However, only the veteran free parking was brought up Wednesday.

Ward 11 Coun. Andy Letham said he made the proposal in honour of the Year of the Veteran. He wanted veterans who have Royal Canadian Legion and Ministry of Transportation-approved veteran licence plates to be exempt from paying at all metered parking and municipal lots.
Municipal lots can be found in Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls, Omemee, Lindsay and south of Little Britain at the corner of Eldon and Ramsay roads. Metered spots are found in Bobcaygeon and Lindsay.
"We've certainly been talking about it," said Margaret Mowat, a British Second World War veteran and member of Lindsay Legion Branch 67. "For the few years that the veterans have left, it's a good tribute. A lot of us do shop downtown."

Asked to clarify, Letham didn't foresee a parking free for all: a valid plate didn't mean illegal parking was allowed, just free parking.
The idea may have come from Midland. The town passed a similar exemption for its vets a year ago, and encouraged others to follow suit.

Some Kawartha Lakes councillors had reservations. The most vocal, at least at the meeting, came from a veteran.
Ward 6 Coun. Carl Quaranto compared the proposal to current parking spots reserved for disabled residents - a system which he said is rife with abuse by residents who aren't really disabled.
"I see a lot of people driving handicapped cars, and they're about as handicapped as I am," he said, somewhat sarcastically.

He asked where enforcement officers would draw the line. Was there an age limit? What if the driver was a vet in another country?
"I'm a veteran. World War II. The amount of people left from World War II is very, very small.
"Are you going to (extend it ) to Korean veterans? Vietnam? How about Bosnia three years ago? I mean, they're young. They're not 80. Where do we cut it off? Everyone who's served is a 'veteran' . . . There are other people who should receive consideration as much as a veteran."

Mayor Barb Kelly, who voted for the proposal, said she thought the deal would apply "for people who were in the war."

Ward 16 Coun. Dave Marsh, however, asked how anyone would notice if a legitimate veteran's vehicle was loaned to a "daughter or son" and was parked at an expired meter.
"If they have the plate, it qualifies them," replied Letham. "It's not supposed to be complicated."
Current Branch 67 President Jerry Harris said he's also seen abuse with handicapped parking. However, he's in favour of free parking for the vets.

"It's not about giving them a break. It's about showing that we do remember them," he said. "I'm all for a small privilege."
Nicki Dedes, chair of Lindsay's Business Improvement Association, told The Daily Post she couldn't comment on the issue until her membership gave input. She'll have that chance at an association meeting next week, adding "parking is one of the top issues we deal with."

Public consultations were not recommended on the issue in a staff report, but if council decides to have them, the new rules would not likely kick in until Jan. 1, 2007. 

 

[Kat Stevens]

Since we've dragged this one back into the daylight (it's like 3Tp 4CER, resurrected more times than Dracula), I'll offer this up.  I have an Alberta Veteran plate. Why? Is it vanity, or LCF?  No, but I am proud of the fact that I spent my entire adult life (so far) doing something FOR my adopted homeland, not TO it. Did I go off and lose a limb in some Wagnerian charge up a hill into a hail of gunfire?  Again, no, but I went to some shitty places and did some shitty things for some shitty people, because my country told me to. If a small token of recognition for that fact is so insulting to everyone, contact Legion Dominion Command and voice your anger.  If you get your way, Canada won't have ANY veterans of any description to pass on the message....rant ends, lock 'n' load, fire at will.

 

[Big Foot]

I whole-heartedly agree with you, Kat. We are nearing the end of a generation with our WWII vets and the Korean War vets aren't getting any younger. I think it's fair to say that if you have done your duty for the country, you can be considered a vet. IMHO, if you're willing to go fight for Canada and you train for that fight day in and day out, you deserve to be reckognized. Flame away if you will, but these are just my thoughts.

 

[the 48th regulator]

On that note, a great discussione we had was on the What is a Veteran? thread.

dileas

tess

 

[3rd Horseman]

Mark C,

  I agree with most of what you say and feel much the same way about young guys still serving with plates. I am confussed by your comment that the plates should be for the Korea vets and then later you suggest the Medak pocket also.

I think that you should not get Vet plates until you are out and that means out and not out with a class be call back as a reserve such as many of the older guys with vet plates in the J-7 parking lot.

 I would be for a cut off of retired period, with the usual qualifying of honourable discharge.
 And Mark C dont be too down on that 30 year old he may have seen more conbat then most WW2 vets you will see in afew days.

I have my plates and at 41 when I got them as disabled vet from Bosnia I was kinda proud of them. If my driver was still alive to tell the story and at 19 get out of his car with vet plates on he would be able to say he had been there and done that. Unfortunatley he cant.

 

[Infanteer]

And Mark C dont be too down on that 30 year old he may have seen more conbat then most WW2 vets you will see in afew days.

I'm still not sure where you are getting this notion from - I don't think that anyone since the early 1950's has experienced combat in the way our WWII vets have.  We're talking 2 years on the line in constant operations against a competant enemy.  See all those Battle Honours on the Colours?  Guess where they come from....

 

[3rd Horseman]

Inf,

    Operative word here is "may have". So are you holding the position that a WW2 vet who never served overseas has more combat than a UN or NATO soldier who has fired his weapon in anger and been fired at by a hostile enemy? And one further how about the in theatre WW2 vet that never saw the enemy?

 

[Cloud Cover]

I have my plates and at 41 when I got them as disabled vet from Bosnia I was kinda proud of them. If my driver was still alive to tell the story and at 19 get out of his car with vet plates on he would be able to say he had been there and done that. Unfortunatley he cant.

Hey buddy: Was that in the spring of '95?

Cheers

 

[3rd Horseman]

I was in theatre in Apr 95 and departed when the after the war ended 31 Oct. 

 

[Infanteer]

Inf,

    Operative word here is "may have". So are you holding the position that a WW2 vet who never served overseas has more combat than a UN or NATO soldier who has fired his weapon in anger and been fired at by a hostile enemy? And one further how about the in theatre WW2 vet that never saw the enemy?

Quit using "may have" and "circumstance" as clauses to back out of your claims.  Just as we are not talking about a Canadian who never deployed in the '90s, we ain't talking about some rear echelon conscript in WWII.

Guys in WWII that were in theater faced combat day-in and day-out, that hasn't been something experienced by our Army since Korea.

 

[Brad Sallows]

"In theatre" is a big place.

 

[Infanteer]

Okay - I guess there is always CommZone Z.   How about "a guy on the line".

 

[3rd Horseman]

Inf,

    Not attempting to back out of a claim never made a claim asked a question. So if I understand correct you are speaking of the line guys. That being understood The point is about who gets a vet plate, IMHO the soldiers who have fired there weapons in anger on a NATO or UN tour have the right to claim combat vet just like a line soldier in WW2 (given that that line soldier saw combat, contrary to what you think some line units did not see combat).

  So to get back on focus do the UN/NATO guys who served on the line deserve vet plates?

 

[Acorn]

Okay - I guess there is always CommZone Z.   How about "a guy on the line".

I think the point is that "Veteran" doesn't require service under fire.

There's no distinction between someone who was shot at and someone who spent the whole time inside a secure camp - then or now.

 

[Art Johnson]

Just a little story about the Veterans plate. A few weeks before the schools opened I made an illegal left turn at one of those 4:00pm to 6:00pm thingies. I thought the sign was only for when the schools were in session. How wrong I was, when I got to the bottom of the hill this big Policeman was standing in the middle of the road and waved me over as well as the chap behind me. When the Cop got back to me I had my license out and he took it and checked my plate. When he got back to me he said "I'm going to give you a break this time and charge you under the Municipal
Bylaw and it will cost you $18.75". "I could charge you under the Highway Traffic Act and it would have cost you $130.00 plus two demerit points."
That was a pretty good investment for $5.00.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

we ain't talking about some rear echelon conscript in WWII.

The vast majority of rear echelon troops in the Canadian Army (Overseas) in WW II were volunteers. In fact, I'm willing to bet 100 percent of them were volunteers.   The small numbers of conscripts sent to Europe in 1945 were mainly reinforcements for infantry units.

In an infantry battalion, about 300 out of 810-man full strength battalions were found in A and B Echelon; including sanitation men, cooks, orderlies, weapons techs, water duties, storesmen, etc. so about 35% of infantry battalions were "rear echelon" soldiers - when at full strength.   Most rifle companies operated at about half strength much of the time, so the percentage of "rear echelon" troops was much higher.   Depending of course on your definition of "rear echelon."

Line of Communication troops were present on the Continent in large numbers, and also the administrative tail in England was large (in Italy these functions were primarily performed by British troops).    A dentist who served in London for six months was still awarded the 1939-45 War Medal, the Defence Medal, the 1939-45 Star, and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp - all without firing a single shot.  

Would he be "entitled" to a veteran's plate?   I think so.

Here's a list of just the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps units to be formed and "deployed" in WW II.   Doesn't count the RCASC, RCEME, RCSigs, C Provost C, C Postal C, CDC, RCAMC, etc. units

http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/organization/rcocorbat.htm

A partial listing of "rear echelon" units directly attached to First Canadian Army would include

Headquarters Units
Headquarters, First Canadian Army
1 Air Survey Corps
1 Air Liason Group
25 Armoured Delivery Regiment (The Elgin Regiment)
1 Road Construction Company, RCE
2 Road Construction Company, RCE
2 Tunneling Company, RCE
1 Mechanical Equipment Company, RCE
1 Mechanical Equipment Park, RCE
1 Field Survey Depot, RCE
2 Field Survey Company, RCE
3 Field Survey Company, RCE
  4 Field Survey Company, RCE
30 Air Survey Liaison Section, RCE
Royal Canadian Corps of Signals
Headquarters, First Canadian Army Signals
3 Special Wireless Section (Type A)
1 Special Wireless Section (Type B)
2 Special Wireless Section (Type B)
1 Relay Telephone Company
1 Air Support Signal Unit
3 Army Signal Park
Royal Canadian Army Service Corps
Headquarters, RCASC First Canadian Army Troops
Headquarters, First Canadian Army Transport Column, RCASC
35 Army Troops Composite Company, RCASC
36 Army Troops Composite Company, RCASC
85 Bridging Company, RCASC
86 Bridging Company, RCASC
65 Tank Transporter Company, RCASC
66 Tank Transporter Company, RCASC
69 General Transport Company, RCASC
82 Artillery Company, RCASC
87 Artillery Company, RCASC
121 Detail Issue Depot, RCASC
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
6 General Hospital, RCAMC
6 Casualty Clearing Station, RCAMC
14 Field Hygiene Section, RCAMC
17 Light Field Ambulance, RCAMC
5, 6, 7 and 8 Field Surgical Units, RCAMC
9, 10, and 11 Field Dressing Stations, RCAMC
4,5,6 and 7 Field Transfusion Units, RCAMC
2 Advance Deployed Medical Stores, RCAMC
Canadian Dental Corps
2 Dental Company, CDC
4 Dental Company, CDC
5 Dental Company, CDC
6 Dental Company, CDC
9 Dental Company, CDC
Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
HQ, RCEME First Canadian Army Troops
2 Recovery Company, RCEME
First Canadian Army Troops Workshop, RCEME
Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps
1 Ordnance Rail Head Company, RCOC
2, 3 and 5 Salvage Units, RCOC
4 Mobile Laundry and Bath Unit
Royal Canadian Army Pay Corps
11 Field Cash Office
Canadian Provost Corps
11 Provost Company
1 Traffic Control HQ Section
21 Traffic Control Company
27 Traffic Control Company
Canadian Postal Corps
First Canadian Army Postal Unit
Canadian Intelligence Corps
16 and 17 Field Security Section
2 Wireless Intelligence Section
3 Wireless Intelligence Section
1 Army Photographic Interpretation Section
1 Interrogation HQ Section
Miscellaneous Units
1 Chemical Warfare Laboratory
First Canadian Army Meteorological Group
First Canadian Army Reception Camp
1 Field Punishment Camp
1 Auxilliary Service Section

Thousands of soldiers (call them what they were) served in these units - and this in only First Canadian Army and doesn't count I Corps, II Corps, Canadian Military Headquarters (London) or any of the Canadian Reinforcement Units, all of whom had soldiers who qualified for the same "rack" of medals as any infantryman on the line.

And the majority of whom never fired, and many never saw, a shot fired in anger.   Are they veterans?

 

[3rd Horseman]

Absolutely!!! You are Right on all accounts. The question is does a UN/NATO soldier who has fired his weapon in anger or been fired at does he deserve the plate and the term "Veteran" I say yes! some on this thread have said no.

 

[geo]

Not all combat troops got deployed in 39... some joined in 44 and were in Europe for a couple of months of 45.... so quite similar to our current length of mission.... Veterans!

The clerks, storemen, truckers, tradesmen and instructors stationed in the UK were exposed to bombings for the German teror weapons... so quite similar to our current risk assessment.... Veterans!