Thanking veterans, finding heirs to military medals

This Veterans Day weekend, I look forward to reflecting on the sacrifice of the men and women who selflessly served our country at home and abroad.

Florida is currently home to an estimated 1.5 million veterans and approximately 65,000 active-duty military personnel, and I could not be prouder that these heroes reside in Florida.

While we can never repay the sacrifices made by these extraordinary individuals and their families, I’m fully committed to ensuring that Florida is the most veteranfriendly state in the nation.

In honor of Veterans Day, I’m highlighting “Operation Return the Valor,” my statewide initiative to further honor those who serve in our armed forces.

The initiative’s first mission is to find owners or heirs of nearly 40 medals of veterans left in forgotten safety deposit boxes and sent to the state’s unclaimed property program. The medals include decorations such as Purple Hearts, Bronze Stars, and Distinguished Flying Crosses.

I need your help to find these veterans and their families, so they can be reunited with the honors they received during service.

This year, we will crack down on criminals who scam our veterans. That’s why I have announced one of my 2020 legislative priorities— the Florida Veterans Protection Act. Sponsored by state Sen. Tom Wright and state Rep. Bobby Payne, this legislation will help protect veterans by adding the victimization of 10 or more veterans as an aggravated white-collar crime.

Jimmy Patronis, Chief Financial Officer, State of Florida