What's your take on Veteran's plates?

[garandman]

Without getting into any verbal judo over the topic, (hopefully) I'd like to ask the general consensus of whether folks feel the term Veteran applies to everyone who served honorably in the military or just to those who served in a combat zone?
I always thought it was the latter, but as time goes by the term seems to be used to include all service members?

It's anyone who served. As others have pointed out, the service decides where you go. The absolute most gung-ho Cavalry officer I know was in graduate school when GWI happened. They kept him there.

My brother was a Marine LT in the early 70's on Okinawa. He flew to Vietnam several times, and got combat pay for that month.

A friend of mine, who was later deployed to Afghanistan with a Special Forces unit, spent GWI in a trailer, writing contracts. Considered a veteran of GWI.

And a senior NCO "Commo Puke" spent two tours in Vietnam, where he went on patrols to capture and analyse NVA radio gear. The first time they rolled out, he was surrounded by a fire team. "You here to protect me?" he asked. "No, Sergeant, we're here to shoot you if it looks like we're going to be captured."

 

[Len-2A Training]

From the registry site
Veteran plate: Any veteran is eligible for this plate for an automobile or motorcycle. Proceeds from the veteran plate fee benefit the Soldiers' Homes in Chelsea and Holyoke.

Those words don't comfort me . . . it could be a $1.00/plate and the quote would be true. I'm hoping that it is >50% of the additional fee, but knowing the state, I have my doubts.

 

[Manomet]

Len it sounds like you don't trust your gov't. I have the same feeling and looked for a percentage or real # but could find none.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Len it sounds like you don't trust your gov't. I have the same feeling and looked for a percentage or real # but could find none.

Exactly.

I just sent this question via the RMV website Contact Us Email. I'll post up any response that I get.

 

[mpd61]

Seems like a lot of fuss over the definition of who or what a veteran is.........
Combat vet, non-combat vet, disabled vet, reservist, VA loans, discounts, entitlements, veterans plates? Jeez! The only thing for certain is that those who served have been, are, and will be a minority among those who chose NOT to serve....

 

[inerlogic]

Another of your typical cavalier posts. I do, by the way, proudly display a pair of PH plates and SS plates on my two vehicles and don't for one nanosecond consider either an entitlement. You are very much annoying and condescending and for the lack of a more politically correct title, an A$$hole.

Amen

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[garandman]

And this is why non-military don't want to give ex-military guys free stuff, like car registrations. Entitlement and attitude.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but MA veteran plates cost you $40 and the money is supposed to go to the Soldier's Home. We're not being given anything. Anything like Educational benefits is in the contract when you sign up. Most people who join the service aren't independently wealthy and it is only fair they get some reasonable chance at being able to enjoy the fruits of society after defending it.

Hopefully all of it goes there - interested in hearing what response LenS gets.

If Veteran's plates got you out of parking tickets they'd be a lot more popular. I've received my fair share here in a Boston.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Not to put too fine a point on it, but MA veteran plates cost you $40 and the money is supposed to go to the Soldier's Home. We're not being given anything. Anything like Educational benefits is in the contract when you sign up. Most people who join the service aren't independently wealthy and it is only fair they get some reasonable chance at being able to enjoy the fruits of society after defending it.


Hopefully all of it goes there - interested in hearing what response LenS gets.

If Veteran's plates got you out of parking tickets they'd be a lot more popular. I've received my fair share here in a Boston.

Some folks aren't happy with me, but if I were king I'd be offering a lot more to our Veterans. I never served, but spent 3 years working every day with Navy officers and enlisted men on their nuclear subs, men who with merely 2 exceptions earned my utmost respect.

- I'm all for offering the right to drink responsibly to any MIL >18 anywhere.
- Same for possession of handguns/large-cap long guns/mags/ammo.
- A pass on the MA gun training, but hand them a print-out with pertinent laws instead (at the PD).
- etc.

I hope I get an answer to my question on how much money actually goes to the charities from the specialty plates.

In general I hate the "handling" part of "shipping and handling", so on that basis I prefer to make all my donations directly to the charities I support and not have some/much of it filtered off in "handling" (fund raising, state managing the accounting, etc.).

 

[inerlogic]

Not to put too fine a point on it, but MA veteran plates cost you $40

Try $80

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[jasons]

I hope I get an answer to my question on how much money actually goes to the charities from the specialty plates.

http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/Portals/16/docs/manuals/PassengerPlatesManual2012.pdf

The entire special plate fee goes to the Chelsea and Holyoke Soldier's Homes upon renewal.

 

[Len-2A Training]

http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/Portals/16/docs/manuals/PassengerPlatesManual2012.pdf

Thank you.

Pg 14

The entire special plate fee goes to the Chelsea and Holyoke Soldier's Homes upon renewal.

It does not state how much of the initial plate extra fee goes there however, at least not directly.

However pg. 5 shows this for ALL special plates thru organizations.

The Special Plate fees for most Passenger Special Plates (PAS) go to a specific charitable organization or designated private/public entity. The initial special plate fee is distributed as follows…
• $12 - $16 covers the cost of manufacturing the plate
• $28 - $34 goes to the designated organization
The entire special plate fee goes to the designated organization upon renewal.

So it appears that only part of the extra money goes to the Veterans charities for the initial plate issuance and all of it for renewals. BUT Veteran plates aren't given special treatment here, meaning all plates extra fees go direct to the charity on renewal.

 

[jasons]

Thank you.

Pg 14

It does not state how much of the initial plate extra fee goes there however, at least not directly.

However pg. 5 shows this for ALL special plates thru organizations.



So it appears that only part of the extra money goes to the Veterans charities for the initial plate issuance and all of it for renewals. BUT Veteran plates aren't given special treatment here, meaning all plates extra fees go direct to the charity on renewal.

There's some language in Chapter 90 that says that whatever additional costs are required to supply a special plate come out of the initial fee, and whatever is left over goes to the charity. So for a veteran plate I guess that would be whatever it costs to print up the branch of service decal. (Or at least what the Commonwealth gets charged for the decal, which I'm sure is more than the 10 cents it probably costs to actually print one.)

In any case, most of the extra fee goes to a good cause. There are more important things to get worked up over.

 

[Len-2A Training]

There's some language in Chapter 90 that says that whatever additional costs are required to supply a special plate come out of the initial fee, and whatever is left over goes to the charity. So for a veteran plate I guess that would be whatever it costs to print up the branch of service decal. (Or at least what the Commonwealth gets charged for the decal, which I'm sure is more than the 10 cents it probably costs to actually print one.)

In any case, most of the extra fee goes to a good cause. There are more important things to get worked up over.

What I quoted shows that they also charge a $12-16/plate additional cost of mfg before they give the remainder to the charity ($28-34). I read this as in addition to the $40 or $50 they now charge for registration fee when they give you standard plates.

It's not a matter of getting worked up over it, it is a matter of choosing whether you donate to a charity when a professional fund-raiser (state) calls you (and you know that a %-age is their "handling charge") or you make your contribution directly to the charity by by-passing the middle-man and ensure that 100% goes where you want it to go. Life-choices.

 

[Pilgrim]

Try $80

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try $90.............

Procedure to Obtain Veterans' Plates:
You must present one of the following documents to a full service RMV office to verify your veteran status:

• Honorable Discharge, DD-214, Release from Active Duty paperwork

In addition to the verification listed above, you will need a copy of your current registration (if applicable), a signed and stamped RMV1 form from your insurance agent (if a newly purchased vehicle), or a signed and stamped RMV3 form from your insurance agent (if acquiring Veterans' plates on an existing registration), and the appropriate fee.
Fees:

• Initial Registration Fee:$50
• Special Plate Fee:$40
• Renewal Fee: $90 every 2 years

Proceeds from the special plate fee for this plate go to the Chelsea and Holyoke Soldier's Homes.

 

[garandman]

And BTW, even if you have a Veteran's license and other vehicles with vet plates, you must still bring a hard copy DD214 to the office, as they need to make a copy and attach it to every application.

 

[inerlogic]

try $90.............

Procedure to Obtain Veterans' Plates:
You must present one of the following documents to a full service RMV office to verify your veteran status:


[*]Honorable Discharge, DD-214, Release from Active Duty paperwork

In addition to the verification listed above, you will need a copy of your current registration (if applicable), a signed and stamped RMV1 form from your insurance agent (if a newly purchased vehicle), or a signed and stamped RMV3 form from your insurance agent (if acquiring Veterans' plates on an existing registration), and the appropriate fee.
Fees:


[*]Initial Registration Fee:$50
[*]Special Plate Fee:$40
[*]Renewal Fee: $90 every 2 years

Proceeds from the special plate fee for this plate go to the Chelsea and Holyoke Soldier's Homes.

Oh.... They raised it again.... This is my shocked face....

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[Patriot]

Massachusetts, where every special interest group gets their pockets filled with cash, except veterans.

 

[Manomet]

Not to get off topic but Massachusetts takes better care of veterans than any other state in the union.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Well, here's my non-answer that I got back to my question to RMV!

Hi Len

The following plates have a $40.00 special plate fee.

Veteran
Firefighter Memorial
Conquer Cancer
Breast Cancer
Celtics
Red Sox
Patriots
Choose Life
UMASS
Right Whale
Blackstone Valley
Basketball Hall of Fame
Bruins
Fish and Wildlife
Trust in Children
Spade and Neuter
United We Stand


The following plates have a $50.00 special plate fee. The reason these plates have a $50.00 special plate fee is because special legislation of the law was put in.
Cape Island
Olympics

Better info in the PDF posted above by someone else.

 

[OfficerObie59]

From the registry site
Veteran plate: Any veteran is eligible for this plate for an automobile or motorcycle. Proceeds from the veteran plate fee benefit the Soldiers' Homes in Chelsea and Holyoke.

Except that when those homes were closed for a while about five or six years ago, veterans saw no rebate on the increased fees of their plates.

Meanwhile, those with a medal on their plate pay nothing. I'm generally okay with that, except I think for a Bronze Star Medal plate to be free, the medal should require a V device. The military hands out so many "meritorious" BSM's they've almost become an "E-7 and Above Combat Deployment Good Conduct Medal."

Ironically enough, a guy I deployed with and who works with me on my police department earned a BSM-V and pays his bi-annual $90 for the regular vet plate.

 

[Pilgrim]

Oh.... They raised it again.... This is my shocked face....

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as of 7/1/14 they raised it again: the RMV site now says it's $100

 

[M60]

as of 7/1/14 they raised it again: the RMV site now says it's $100

I'd rather put that $100.00 in my gas tank.

 

[oldguy47]

You served. Youre a veteran. Be proud of it. (and any help soldiers home gets is needed)

This. I got them, and whatever money goes to the vet's homes is a plus, instead of the state's general coffers.

 

[That Guy]

One more voice for "anyone who serves is a veteran."

To begin with, there is no way you can define "combat zone." All the special ops guys that served in South America from the 80s to now? They're vets regardless of what the law says.

Beyond that, why would people make that distinction anyway? The vast majority of soldiers, sailors and airmen are in less danger when deployed than a typical infantryman at Campbell or Bragg on a daily basis. When I was in Iraq, I lost one friend and squadmate. When I was on active duty as in infantryman at Campbell, I lost six friends in one helicopter accident. Not saying one is worse than the other, but you don't need to be in OIF OEF to die for the country.

I've done combat deployment as an MP and a humanitarian deployment and neither deployment was as dangerous as general life as an infantryman stateside.

 

[Stumpthumper]

It's not what you did. It's what you were willing to do.

 

[Al7162001]

Great post guys, really got me thinking. I have Maryland plates now, but when I ETS I will have to think long and hard about the Vet plates, I am in the same boat as the OP. My mission kept me stateside, but working on very interesting things at a 3 letter agency.... I do have pride in my Army service, but truely regret not having the opportunity to deploy despite my best efforts.