Local Officials Place “Veteran Only” Parking Spots Around Town, Do You Support This?

Veterans put their lives on the line to protect and serve in the United States military. The least we can do upon their return is offer them generous benefits to help them succeed. Veterans deserve free college tuition to the institution of their choice, they deserve high-quality and quick health care service for themselves and their families, and they deserve access to job training programs that help them advance their careers. The least we can give them is a place to park.

But far too often, veterans don’t get all they deserve when they return home to their states. Their health care service is delayed worse than most socialist countries. In short, the government does not give them the respect they deserve. But now one town is trying to make one small step forward by giving them guarantee parking spots on major streets. And it is a step in the right direction.

In Ashland, Massachusetts, town officials are showing their veterans some respect by putting up signs that designate certain parking spots as for veterans exclusively. The town has started at its heart by making spaces for veterans available at their community center and the town hall. You need to be a veteran if you want to park in these desirable spots in the parking lots. In my opinion, this is a step forward to showing veterans the respect they deserve, but America needs to do so much more than just hand out parking spots.

The sign reads “Veteran Parking Only” and has a statement of gratitude printed below it that reads, “Thank you for your service.”

The Ashland, Massachusetts Facebook page shared images of the veteran only parking spots along with members of the community celebrating the step forward in appreciating those who fought for freedom.

Along with the images, the town shared the following caption on the Facebook post, “Thank you Officers Puzzo and Karpouzis, and Rifles To Rods for the new parking spaces dedicated to veterans at the community center and town hall. Great idea! #ashlandcommunity”

The community response has been overwhelmingly positive. Citizens wrote in the comments:

“Way to go guys!”

“Love this idea.”

“thank you Ryan, Demitri and Micheal for being so supportive in a positive way….”

“This is awesome!!! Thank you!!!”

“Two Veteran spots in the municipal lot in front of the library too!”

One user questioned how the veteran only parking spot would be enforced.

“Honor system? Is this town small enough to know everyone? Anyway, I would love this in my town.”

While some license plates list a person as a veteran of the armed forces, other veterans opt not to get those plates. If someone is parked in a veteran only parking spot, we hope that they truly did fight for the country. But as the Facebook community member stated, the honor system needs to be trusted.

While in New Bedford a few weeks ago, I saw purple parking spaces dedicated to veterans of the United States military. It looks like Massachusetts is doing right by their veterans giving them privileged parking spaces.

Does your town do this?