NonStop Local: Senator Tester presses on enacting Major Richard Star Act for combat injured veterans

Senator John Tester hosted a conference on Thursday with injured combat veterans to talk about the Major Richard Star Act.

Named after Major Richard A. Star, a decorated war veteran who was forced to medically retire due to his combat injuries, this bipartisan legislation focuses on providing full military benefits to other disabled veterans across Montana.

Miguel Gonzalez, an Army veteran who served for 14 years and was medically retired due to back and knee injuries during his service, said that this bill if passed will make a huge difference.

“A lot of people like they said haven’t gotten to complete their services whether it be 20 years, 25 years or even finish a tour of duty. When I decided to go back into the military, I was injured was forced into retirement because of a bad knee and a bad back. So, I was unable to collect what I was once making in the civilian world. This act will enable them to be able to get the funds that they (veterans) should have had when they got back and returned from the down range if you will,” explained Gonzalez.

Likewise, Adam Chenoweth, one of the Army veterans who was medically retired said that the bill will be essential for him and many of his friends who not only have physical injuriesbut carry with them more of the invisible wounds of war like PTSD.

“I struggled quite a bit when I first got out of the military and didn’t have that income. I’m lucky that I can work; I have many friends that have PTSD or have injuries that they can’t work at all, so they’re surviving whatever their disability is, and that’s hard to survive on. I don’t know anybody that can legitimately survive on that, especially with medical expenses and stuff associated with that,” emphasized Chenoweth.  

Senator Tester is pressing for the enactment of this bill as an amendment to the annual must-pass defense bill, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is expected to be considered by the senate next week.