A $50K bump would help tell Korean and Gulf veterans’ stories

The Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations, or Ampers, is hoping the state will help it tell more stories of Minnesota’s veterans.

Ampers previously used its Veterans Voices programming to interview and record Vietnam and World War II veterans. Now it wants to expand its reach to tell the stories of veterans from the Korean War and Operation Desert Storm.

Rep. Matt Bliss

HF1682, sponsored by Rep. Matt Bliss (R-Pennington), would appropriate $50,000 for the project. The House Veterans Affairs Division approved the measure Monday, sending it to the House State Government Finance Committee.

Its companion, SF1596, sponsored by Sen. Paul Anderson (R-Plymouth) awaits action by the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee.

“It’s a rather small investment to support this venture,” Bliss said.

Ampers is also seeking $319,500 for equipment grants – a $17,750 increase – and $1.04 million for community service grants – an increase of $61,500 – from legislators. Those spending increases are under consideration by the finance committee.

Expanding its programming to a new sect of veterans, with stories being told both on the airwaves and linked in the nonprofit’s website, would cover stories that are being forgotten, Ampers CEO Joel Glaser said.

“We skipped Korea (last time)… We don’t want to skip Korea, which is why we’re here today,” he said.