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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 12, 2018 04:23 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Wayne D. Fontana |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | “Green Alert” for Veterans |
I will be introducing legislation that would implement a “Green Alert” system in Pennsylvania which is designed to warn the public if an at-risk veteran is missing. My bill would be very similar to an Amber Alert for missing children or a Silver Alert for missing seniors. The measure was inspired by a Milwaukee Air Force veteran Corey Adams, who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after serving in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Afghanistan. Although Corey’s parents alerted police and filed a missing person report within hours of Corey’s disappearance on March 20, 3017, because he didn’t meet the criteria as “critically missing,” it took eight days before he was determined to meet this designation by police. Eighteen days after Corey Adam’s disappearance, his body was found in a pond one mile from his mother’s home where he was last seen. Members of the military that are exposed to war and/or combat are at high risk for developing PTSD. In fact, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that PTSD affects almost 31 percent of Vietnam veterans, 10 percent of Gulf War veterans, 11 percent of veterans involved in the war in Afghanistan and 20 percent of Iraqi War veterans. By enacting the Green Alert system, family members of Pennsylvania veterans will better be able to enlist the aid of the public and the law enforcement community in locating a missing veteran. This also improves the chances of the individual’s safe return and ensures that the veteran receives the support they need. Currently, Wisconsin is the only state that is on track to pass legislation establishing a Green Alert and my hopes are that the Pennsylvania General Assembly will make it a priority as well. |
Introduced as SB1062