Veterans (Memorials & Recognition)

HB 1293 creates a North Dakota program providing small, durable medallions to identify veteran status on headstones or grave markers. It directly affects National Guard and National Guard Reserve members buried outside state veterans' cemeteries who do not qualify for existing state or federal medallions. The Department of Veterans' Affairs will administer the program, issuing these medallions as a way to honor veterans' service on their existing gravesites. The bill establishes this as a new policy under North Dakota law, effective after the Governor signed it on March 14, 2025.

HCR 3007 is a North Dakota legislative resolution urging Congress to recognize U.S. military personnel who served in Honduras between 1981 and 1992. It specifically requests Congress issue an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (or similar recognition) for service in a hostile area during that period. The resolution directly affects veterans who served in Honduras during the 1980s and early 1990s, acknowledging their deployment in a region involving combat support and casualties. The resolution will be forwarded to congressional leaders and North Dakota's congressional delegation as a formal request for federal recognition.

HB 1148 designates May as Military Appreciation Month in North Dakota, requiring the governor to issue an annual proclamation on May 1st. The proclamation honors both current and former U.S. military personnel for their service and sacrifices in defending the nation. This law directly affects state recognition practices and the governor's annual ceremonial duties, without altering military benefits or policies. It establishes a formal, yearly observance to acknowledge military contributions within North Dakota.

HB 1190 proposed creating a committee to name bridges and overpasses in North Dakota in honor of military service members who died while serving. The committee would review public nominations annually, select up to six locations each October, and coordinate with veterans groups and families for signage and dedication. The bill specified the committee would include the transportation director, adjutant general, and veterans affairs commissioner, with the transportation department providing administrative support. This bill, which was introduced but later withdrawn in January 2025, did not change existing laws but would have established a process for honoring fallen military members through infrastructure naming.

HCR 3005 is a North Dakota legislative resolution urging the 119th U.S. Congress to add the names of 74 U.S. Navy sailors who died when the USS Frank E. Evans collided with an Australian ship in 1969 to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. It specifically requests Congress amend memorial inclusion criteria to recognize these sailors, who were on combat support missions in the South China Sea during Operation Sea Spirit. The resolution cites evidence showing the ship was engaged in combat support operations, aligning with eligibility under Title 38 of the U.S. Code. As a non-binding resolution, it does not change federal law but formally requests congressional action to honor the sailors, including two from North Dakota (Patrick Glennon and Robert Seale).