New Mexico
In New Mexico, veterans deserve access to continuing education
As the Director of New Mexico State University’s Military and Veterans Programs, I’ve worked with many veterans who have chosen to further their education. It’s been both a privilege and a challenge to hear their stories — how they’ve navigated the transition from military service to civilian life and how they’re working to build a better future for themselves and their families through higher education. I appreciate the sacrifice of everyone who has served and I am proud to work every day to honor this sacrifice and make NMSU one of the most veteran-friendly campuses in the nation.
Unfortunately, one of the most common hurdles these student veterans face is financing their education. With the rising cost of a college education, it has become more difficult for veterans to pay for books, supplies, and other essential materials.
I recently had the pleasure of discussing these challenges with Congressman Gabe Vasquez during his visit to NMSU to speak with student veterans and administrators. Congressman Vasquez has shown a deep commitment to supporting our veterans, understanding their unique needs, and advocating for meaningful change.
It was clear from our conversations that he is genuinely dedicated to uplifting New Mexico’s veterans and backing up his words with action. Recently, Congressman Vasquez introduced the Veteran Education Assistance Adjustment Act, a bill designed to ease the financial burden on veterans pursuing continued education.
Like most Americans, every dollar counts for our veterans, especially regarding education. Currently, the stipend for veterans to spend on books and other supplies is $1,000 — a figure that has not been adjusted since 2008. In today’s world, $1,000 does not stretch nearly as far as it once did. Congressman Vasquez’s bill proposes raising this stipend to $1,400, which will adjust based on inflation and provide the funding necessary so our veterans can focus on their education. The bill also ensures that this amount will continue to increase with inflation, guaranteeing that veterans have the support required each year.
During his visit, Congressman Vasquez took the time to meet with both student veterans and university leadership, including myself, in a roundtable discussion. We were able to share our experiences, challenges and hopes for the future. It was clear that Rep. Vasquez was not just there to listen — he was there to understand.
Congressman Vasquez’s proposed stipend increase reflects his understanding of veterans’ challenges. It is not just about the immediate increase but the message it sends: that he values our veterans and is committed to investing in their future. I’m grateful to Congressman Vasquez for his visit to NMSU and hope he will continue his vital work in Congress to uplift New Mexico’s nearly 140,000 veterans.
Grant’s Thursday Evening Forecast
Showers and thunderstorms will continue in eastern New Mexico tonight into Friday. Breezy winds will bring an elevated fire danger in the western half of the state.
Thunderstorms are firing up Thursday afternoon along and east of New Mexico’s central mountain chain while gusty south winds over 30 mph are driving an elevated fire danger across western parts of the state. Storms will continue spreading across eastern New Mexico through this evening, bringing locally heavy rainfall, lightning, small hail, and gusty winds. The winds will weaken later tonight, but showers and thunderstorms will keep going across eastern New Mexico overnight into early Friday morning.
A few spotty storms will redevelop Friday afternoon across eastern New Mexico, with a couple near the Texas state line capable of turning strong to severe. At the same time, breezy southwest winds will ramp back up across western New Mexico, with gusts over 35 mph creating another round of elevated fire danger. Storms will push east out of New Mexico Friday evening while winds gradually ease overnight.
Quieter and drier weather takes over this weekend. Temperatures Saturday afternoon will cool a few degrees but still stay near average for late May. Breezy afternoon winds will continue Saturday before lighter winds and warmer temperatures return Sunday.
Moisture will start building back into eastern New Mexico Monday, bringing a slight chance for thunderstorms near the Texas state line. Monday will also be the hottest day of the warming trend statewide. More moisture spreads into the eastern half of the state Tuesday, increasing storm chances along and east of the Rio Grande Valley by afternoon. Even deeper moisture arrives statewide by Wednesday and Thursday, fueling more widespread showers and thunderstorms through the middle of next week.
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Skies are partly to mostly clear with most similar or slightly milder than yesterday. Winds are a little breezy occasionally with the highest humidity values mostly from out east and to the north.
Air temperatures in the north are mostly starting off in the 30s to the low 50s. Elsewhere to the south, air temperatures are mostly ranging from around the high 30s to the low 60s.
Many areas from eastern New Mexico to the Pecos River Valley area will range from the high 60s to the 80s from north to south from high to low elevation. The northern higher elevations will mostly range from the high 40s to near 60°, while the northern valley floors to western and central areas will mostly range from the high 70s to the low 90s.
Southerly upper-level winds, in combination to the low-level moisture still lingering around the northern high elevations to out east, will lead to few thunderstorms capable of producing brief bouts of heavy rain, small hail, some lightning, & gusty conditions.
Ridging in the jet stream will then allow for clearer conditions, drier air, and for temperatures to rebound for the remainder of the week. However, slightly more thunderstorms will form for some eastern and mountainous areas late in the week, resulting in outflow-southeasterly winds to occasionally pick up.
Even hotter air returns late this weekend into early next week before thunderstorms are more likely to form next week.
-
Entertainment1 minute agoThis Puerto Rican filmmaker honored his family with an unconventional movie called ‘TheyDream’
-
Lifestyle7 minutes agoL.A. Affairs: I went on 53 first dates in one summer. Here’s a look at my spreadsheet
-
Politics13 minutes agoTrump holds Situation Room meeting to decide on Iran deal
-
Science19 minutes agoOxnard man smuggled baby crocodiles, among 1,700 reptiles, gets 5 years
-
Sports25 minutes agoA new board game mocks Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for ‘foul baiting.’ He wants it destroyed
-
World37 minutes agoIsrael, Russia among new additions on UN sexual violence ‘blacklist’
-
News1 hour agoWhich first lady feared her husband might be having a stroke? The quiz knows
-
Los Angeles, Ca3 hours agoRescued sea lion pups released in Manhattan Beach
