Ball and Former HBO CEO Push “Jobs For Heroes”

This afternoon state Sen. Greg Ball is stepping up his push to pass “Job For Heroes” legislation, which sets aside 5 percent of state contracts for businesses owned by disabled military veterans, with a lobbying day in Albany.

Ball and others want to see the measure added to the state budget, and among those joining the lawmaker is Bill Nelson, a former HBO CEO, Vietnam veteran and board member of the local chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America.

“The service-disabled veterans are the ones who raised their right hand, most of them after the 9/11 attack on New York and stepped forward and went into harm’s way, and many were wounded and injured ... and one of the most important things for them to transition back to civilian life is actually to be able to get a job,” Nelson said. “Every Vietnam vet knows what it’s like to come back, and not only not have any support but not have any respect. The Vietnam Veterans of America’s founding principle is, never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.”