Gov. Doug Burgum today thanked Vietnam veterans and signed a proclamation declaring March 29 as Vietnam Veterans Day in North Dakota during a ceremony at the Capitol.
More than 2.7 million Americans served in Vietnam, among them more than 15,000 North Dakotans, Burgum noted. More than 58,000 died, included 198 North Dakotans whose names were read aloud during today’s ceremony attended by dozens of veterans and their family members, state legislators and community members.
“Each of these young men and women left their homes faithfully and honorably to serve their nation. It’s our responsibility to make sure that their service and sacrifice is not forgotten,” Burgum said during the ceremony. “Today we honor and remember the surviving and departed Vietnam veterans, including those 198 and those veterans who were or are still missing in action or prisoners of war.”
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Vietnam Veterans Day being celebrated as an official North Dakota state holiday. The 61st Legislative Assembly passed legislation in 2009 in honor and remembrance of all Vietnam veterans.
As governor, Burgum is committed to ensuring Vietnam veterans – and all veterans – are receiving the benefits and services they have earned for protecting our nation. Last October, the governor created a task force to assess the current system for supporting military veterans in North Dakota and comprehensively examine how the state’s current resources can be organized to serve veterans most effectively. His executive budget proposal for the 2019-21 biennium also recommends exempting military retirement pay from state income taxes, a proposal that continues to move through the Legislature.