COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Vietnam veteran Bob Harris says getting a "V'' symbol for honorable military service on his driver's license is a matter of pride, recognition he didn't get after fighting in that divisive war. Combat veteran Willie Ellis says it would help veterans on fixed incomes get a few discounts from local merchants.
Lawmakers in South Carolina are looking at instructing the Department of Motor Vehicles to include a "V'' or the word "veteran" on driver's licenses, as eight other already states do.
"I think veterans need to have some recognition for the job they've done and their service to our country," said Sen. Jake Knotts, R-Lexington, who sponsored the South Carolina legislation. "And businesses may not know who is a veteran or who isn't. This makes it clear."
Florida began issuing licenses with a blue "V'' on the lower right-hand corner of driver's licenses just after the Fourth of July last year, said Alan Busenbark, program manager at the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
"It's sort of a patriotic thing," Busenbark said of the reason behind adding the designation. "But if you are a heavy shopper, even a 5 or 10 percent discount from Mom and Pop stores can turn into a good chunk of change."
Busenbark, who served 22 years in the Marine Corps, said Florida vets must pay an additional $1 fee on top of the $25 charge for getting a new license.
Other states that have a veterans' designation are Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oregon, Texas and Utah, according to Claire O'Brien, spokeswoman for the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, which keeps track of such developments.
Delaware offers a separate card to identify veterans, while Rhode Island gives a designation to disabled veterans and North Carolina to those on active duty, O'Brien said. Alaska and Colorado are considering what to do, she said.
Delaware opted for a separate veterans' identity card and has made it available free of charge, said Jenifer Cohan, director of the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles.
"It's been extremely well received," Cohan said. Part of the reasoning behind the decision for a separate card comes from the fact there's not much space on driver's licenses, she said. "There's really not a lot of real estate available there," she said.
South Carolina's Sen. Knotts, who spent four years in the Navy during the Vietnam War, said his proposal requires veterans to produce a DD-214 form, which shows they were honorably discharged. House members have indicated in their version of the bill that they would like to see a $1 fee on top of a $10 replacement fee go back into the DMV coffers to help defray any costs.
Ellis and Harris, who are part of a group known as the South Carolina Combat Veterans that meets for a morning brew at a local coffee shop, said they'd welcome the designation if the state offers it.
"I'd really appreciate getting a discount," said Ellis, 65, who served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969.
"Every little bit helps, yes it does," said Harris, who noted the group works with veterans to ensure they get the benefits they have earned.
"Sometimes they just don't fill out a form correctly. We try to give them a hand, give them a pat on the back," Harris said. Representatives recently met with lawmakers to push for the legislation.
The men pointed out that many of their fellow veterans may have spent several years in the service — particularly those drafted during Vietnam — but the military gives picture IDs only to retired veterans who served at least 20 years.
One South Carolina lawmaker said he's concerned the well-meaning step might end up costing more than intended and increase wait times at the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
"It's important to focus on the legitimate effect of what we are doing," said Sen. Phil Leventis, D-Sumter, who retired after three decades in the Air Force and South Carolina Air National Guard and whose wife was a nurse who served in Vietnam.
Leventis pointed out that with more than 400,000 military veterans in the state, adding a new label to each license renewal could add to already-long DMV wait times.
"I'm very appreciative of military service, but I think we also ought to think carefully about emphasizing only one facet of what builds our nation. What about giving the recognition to teachers?" the lawmaker asked.
R.J. Sanderson, DMV chief of staff and its legislative liaison, said South Carolina's DMV estimates the measure would add an additional minute to each veteran's visit when they come in for a license renewal.
"We fully support the bill," Sanderson said as he met with House lawmakers on the measure. "We're prepared to go whichever way you want to go."