Carpino Helps Veterans Returning to Civilian Life

HARTFORD – In a show of support for military veterans, State Representative Christie Carpino (Cromwell and Portland) supported a bill that permits discharged veterans to apply military service as credit toward certain licenses and exams in order to enter the civilian workforce.  Fees are also eliminated.

H.B. 5299, An Act Concerning the Findings of the Military Occupational Specialty Task Force, requires various governmental entities to certify, waive, grant, or award certain licenses, registrations, examinations, training, or credit for veterans or service members with military experience or qualifications.

In 2013, the MOS Task Force, which stems from legislation Carpino supported, was formed to study the use of military occupational specialty training experience to satisfy training requirements for state licensing purposes, with the goal of aiding veterans in securing civilian employment. Cromwell resident and decorated military veteran Edward Wenners was one of the members of the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) Task Force which worked to identify areas where prior military training can qualify veterans for civilian occupational licenses.

“This bill gives well deserved recognition and credit to our veterans for the training and experience they earned in the military.  Connecticut should assist our brave veterans as they transfer their military experience to civilian life.”

For example, the bill would require veterans to be certified as police officers and EMTs by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) and the Department of Public Health, respectively, as a result of their military training.

Under the bill, unless specifically noted, a veteran is anyone honorably discharged or released under honorable conditions from active service from the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air Force and any of their reserve components.

The legislation would also waive operators’ license exams at the Department of Motor Vehicles and the apprentice requirement for certain occupations before sitting for licensing exams. Additionally, the legislation outlines conditions under which military service can be substituted for college credit.

The bill now heads to the State Senate for approval, then to the Governor for his signature.