Gov. John Hickenlooper met with veterans and active service members at the State Capitol on Monday morning.
Hickenlooper and Maj. Gen. Michael Edwards, adjutant general of Colorado, spoke to a crowd of about 100 during a reception for “Military and Veterans Appreciation Day.”
“The real story here is how our military is working not just to keep this state — but this country — safe,” Hickenlooper said.
Hickenlooper’s brief speech continued to push for bipartisanship as he called for a “pro-military” Colorado. The governor pointed to supporting veteran programs and housing efforts as well as improving benefits for active service members as ways to create a pro-military state.
“Our taking care of them (veterans) is not so much a financial or political decision,” Hickenlooper said. “Their service to our country demands we give them special attention.”
Artie Guerrero was paralyzed from the waist down as a result of injuries he suffered during the Vietnam War. As a longtime member of the United Veterans Committee of Colorado, Guerrero said he was encouraged by the governor’s efforts to recognize Colorado veterans, but an “obstacle course” still exists for many veterans looking for support.
“Being a veteran is like being in a wheelchair, no one really pays attention to you,” Guerrero said.
There are about 420,000 veterans in Colorado, according to Hickenlooper, who spent most of the morning speaking one-on-one with veterans and service members.
Jordan Steffen: 303-954-1794 or jsteffen@denverpost.com
