Tina and Leila stand with veterans

There are few issues more important to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Reps. Christina “Tina” Sablan and running mate Leila Fleming Staffler than making sure that Commonwealth policies and programs are in place to support Marianas veterans and their families.

Sablan and Staffler hosted a dinner meeting with veterans last week, July 7, 2022 and also accepted written comments and reflections from veterans who were not able to attend the session in person. The candidates thanked all the veterans who took the time to share their stories. Many of the concerns shared with Sablan and Staffler had to do with the challenges veterans experience in accessing the care and benefits they have earned, and their desire to see more support for veterans and military families when they come home.

“Leila and I want veterans and their families to know that in the Marianas, we honor and appreciate their service and sacrifices. And we will show our gratitude by making sure they have the resources they need to successfully transition to civilian life and thrive in our community,” Sablan said.

Sablan

Sablan and Staffler have a plan to improve support for veterans and their families in the Marianas. Their platform includes the following:

• Building up the CNMI Office of Veterans Affairs to become a more robust resource center for vets and their families. Trained staff will provide information, referrals, and guidance to connect veterans and their families to federal, local, and nonprofit resources to aid their transition from military service to civilian life. An interactive, easy-to-use, and locally-based online portal will be created that Marianas service members, veterans, military families and service providers can use to search for and quickly access a range of resources for crisis intervention, healthcare, housing, education, employment, and other support services.

• Veterans Employment Incentives. Sablan and Staffler will work with the Office of Personnel Management and the human resources departments of other branches and autonomous agencies to establish veterans’ preference in CNMI government employment for veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. armed forces and were honorably discharged. Sablan and Staffler will also support incentives for private sector employers to hire veterans and count their skills and experience gained in military service when considering pay and positions.

• ‘Thank You, Veterans’ Initiative. Sablan and Staffler will establish a program of discounts or waivers for veterans on a range of government fees, such as business licensing, home construction, education and training, hunting, and fishing. They will also encourage local businesses to offer veterans discounts on goods and services. A “Thank You, Veterans” directory will be published online.

Staffler

• Preserving the stories of Marianas veterans. Sablan and Staffler recognize that the service and sacrifices of Marianas citizens in the U.S. armed forces are an important part of our collective history, and important to document for present and future generations. They will work with the CNMI Office of Veterans Affairs, the Office of the NMI Delegate to U.S. Congress, and other community partners and volunteers to collect the stories of service of Marianas veterans for the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress, and for our own archive here in the Marianas.

“In the Marianas, we understand the price of freedom,” Staffler said. “These islands will forever be hallowed grounds because of the blood that was shed here during the battles of World War II. We also keep in our hearts our brothers and sisters who have given their lives in defense of our nation since then, and those who have bravely served and continue to serve in the armed forces.

“It is so important to Tina and me to make sure that we do everything we can to show our love and support for our vets and their families when they come home,” she added.

For more information about Sablan and Staffler’s plans for veterans, or to request a meeting with them, email outreach@sablanstaffler.com, call 670-484-DEMS. To view Sablan and Staffler’s platform and learn more about the campaign, visit www.sablanstaffler.com. (PR)