PHOENIX — Governor Doug Ducey today honored Arizonans and businesses who go above and beyond to support military members, veterans and their families at the 15th Annual Patriotic Awards luncheon. 

“Congratulations to all of you, and thank you for all your support of our veterans and military members. I speak for Arizona when I say that you are true patriots,” Governor Ducey said at the luncheon.

Hosted by the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society, the Patriotic Awards recognize and celebrate exemplary non-military individuals and businesses who engage with the veteran community and work hard to make a difference. This includes helping disabled veterans through mobility solutions, expanding programs that honor veterans and more.   

“God bless our troops, God bless you all here today, and God bless the United States of America,” the Governor continued.

For more information about the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society’s Patriotic Awards, visit https://avhof.org/. 

BACKGROUND In February, Governor Ducey launched the AZHiresVets! initiative, with the goal of increasing the percentage of veterans in the state’s workforce from 8.5 percent to 15 percent by 2025.

In January, Governor Ducey announced a proposal to waive higher education tuition for the spouses of veterans, expanding Arizona’s commitment to supporting the men and women who served our nation and their families.

In May 2021, Governor Ducey and the Arizona Department of Housing announced $500,000 for the United States Veterans Initiative to support its efforts to ensure veterans experiencing homelessness have safe, adequate living conditions. 

In June 2021, Governor Ducey signed a tax plan that eliminates income taxes on veterans’ military pensions. 

Arizona in 2017 launched the Be Connected program, which aims to prevent veteran suicide by focusing on upstream prevention in the military, veteran and family population. The program connects Arizona service members, veterans, and their families to information, support and resources, across all social determinants of health, including employment, housing, essential needs, physical and mental health, and more through a statewide support line.

Veterans across the state can use the ADVS Veteran Toolkit to access the resources and supplies needed to start working and connect with job opportunities. The Toolkit launched in 2017 and assists veterans with uniforms, work boots, tools, and more.

In addition, the Arizona Roadmap to Veteran Employment is a statewide effort that focuses on connecting service members, veterans, and their family members to employment opportunities, training, and resources. It was developed in partnership by ADVS, Arizona Coalition for Military Families, and public and private sector partners and shareholders.

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