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MPA cohort assists in introduction of Veterans Bill of Rights

MPA cohort assists in introduction of Veterans Bill of Rights

MPA cohort assists in introduction of Veterans Bill of Rights


12/20/2021

Sen. Shelton with the Master of Public Administration students
Sen. Amanda Shelton with the Master of Public Administration students who helped with the development of Bill 227-36. (From left) Brandon Pablo, Shawn Meno, Shelton, Darren Torres, and Wien Winner.

Student veterans of the University of Guam Master of Public Administration Fanuchånan 2021 cohort have joined forces with Sen. Amanda Shelton to better serve the needs of veterans in Guam. The graduate students helped develop the Securing and Ensuring the Rights Veterans Earned (SERVE) Act, which Shelton introduced in the 36th Guam Legislature on Nov. 30 as Bill No. 227-36 (COR).

“Our cohort is made up of veterans, and many of us come from legacies of military service, bringing this bill close to home,” said Brandon Pablo, public affairs officer for the MPA cohort. “Our vision for the SERVE Act is to provide our veterans with the expanded support […] that they have rightfully earned.”

The SERVE Act aims to establish a Veterans Bill of Rights in Guam to increase veterans’ access to housing assistance, employment support, higher education opportunities, and health care through various local and federal programs. 

It also includes an appropriation of $500,000 for the Guam Veterans Affairs Office for fiscal year 2022 to fund the operations and implementation of programs and services.

Under the Veterans Bill of Rights, the GVAO is directed to, among other tasks:

  • streamline the process for veterans applying for local and federal housing programs;
  • create and disseminate a report projecting workforce needs and the most in-demand industries, job types, and credentials suited to veterans;
  • award veterans college credit in Guam for military training experiences that meet the American Council on Education standards and offer veterans early registration;
  • train “veteran health navigators” to help identify all federal and other health benefits, coverage, and services for which a veteran and his or her family members are eligible.

The cohort intends for the bill to honor veterans for their service and provide new solutions to the challenges they face upon returning home. 

“This bill provides an opportunity to intentionally do better by them by providing relevant programs and services to veterans that are truly needed to address their basic needs in order to support the valued role that they can play in our community,” said Annette Santos, dean of the UOG School of Business and Public Administration.

In her press release announcing the bill’s introduction, Shelton said she was proud to partner with the Fanuchånan 2021 MPA cohort in this effort. 

“Veterans deserve more than our gratitude for their service and sacrifice to our nation, and establishing a Veterans Bill of Rights through the SERVE Act is one big step forward in this process,” she said.

For more information on the bill and its progress, contact the Office of Sen. Amanda L. Shelton at (671) 969-2574/(671) 988-2572 or officeofsenatorshelton@guamlegislature.org. 

The bill’s status may also be followed at https://guamlegislature.com/index/bills/. 

FAQ Sheet About Bill 227-36