LINCOLN–(KFOR News Sept. 13)–On Thursday evening, Governor Ricketts hosted the 2019 Veterans Welcome Home Picnic at his residence. Nearly 40 service members who have been discharged over the past year were in attendance, along with their family members. The event, which is in its fourth year, was co-hosted by the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs (NDVA) and Walmart.

“Each year, this event gives us a chance to welcome our servicemen and women back to civilian life in Nebraska and thank them for their service,” said Gov. Ricketts. “Our state is focused on creating new opportunities for our military families and veterans when they return home. We want Nebraska to be the friendliest state for veterans and military families—it’s the greatest ‘thank you’ we can give them.”

Various veterans’ service organizations were also at the picnic to share information on benefits for veterans and their family members, opportunities for networking and veteran organization membership, and resources for veteran employment.

“The Welcome Home Picnic is not only a way to thank our state’s newest veterans for their service and welcome them back to Nebraska, but an opportunity to connect them with some of the great benefits our agency and other veterans’ service organizations have to offer them,” said NDVA Director John Hilgert. “I can’t think of a better way to say ‘thank you’ than by connecting our veterans and their families with the benefits and services they’ve so rightly earned.”

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