I was privileged to be allowed to speak at a presser announcing a new scratch-off lottery ticket to benefit the permanent Veterans Assistance Fund that Texas will use to grant money to benefit Vets. The ticket is expected to bring in about nine million dollars a year. I am not a big lottery player but lots of people are. The ability for the state to help the DAV with their rides to the VA programs or to support the VFW’s Military Assistance Program is great. And it can’t be bad to have something about Vets hanging in every convenience store in Texas.

Mostly I was very happy to see Rep. Chris Turner again – he’s a real, caring legislator and Arlington is lucky to have him – and to really meet Senator Van de Putte, a Texas classic and great friend to all our Veterans.
Here is a roundup of news coverage of the event:
The entire thing is archived at: http://www.house.state.tx.us/fx/av/81pressconferences/91019apc.ram
From: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Lottery_unveils_scratch-off_for_veterans.html
The Texas Lottery Commission on Nov. 9  just ahead of Veterans Day  will start selling the first scratch-off ticket dedicated to a cause other than public education, where game profits now go.
The Veterans Cash scratch-off ticket is predicted to pour $9 million a year into veterans’ services when fully operational, and $5 million for the start-up year. The red, white and blue, eagle-adorned tickets will cost $2 apiece with a top prize of $20,000.
From  http://news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=256012
“Our president Harry Truman once said our debt to the heroic men and women in the service of our country can never be repaid,” Sen. Leticia Van De Putte, D-San Antonio, said. “They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifice. The fund and the veterans’ cash ticket are but a small token of Texas’ gratitude.”
From http://www.lotterypost.com/news/202482
From  http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6675531.html#
Veterans groups plan a push to let their members know about the new game. John Miterko of the Vietnam Veterans of America called it “veterans helping veterans.â€Â
From http://www.kens5.com/latestnews/stories/KENS20091019-Texas-lotto-veterans.2322e9cd6.html
“We could help more veterans with transportation assistance to hospitals. We could help fund PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) counseling services that are so crucial especially to many of our younger veterans. We could do more to reduce the shame of homeless veterans,” said State Rep. Chris Turner.
Ticket sales are expected to generate about $8 million in revenue in its first year. Here’s where money that will go: 65 percent to prizes; 5 percent to retail commission; 7 percent to administrative costs; that leaves 23 percent of sales — about 46 cents per ticket — for the Fund for Veteran’s Assistance.