State Representative Heather Carter, was presented with the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society's annual Copper Shield Award Feb. 13th

Two term Arizona Legislator, State Representative Heather Carter, was presented with the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society's annual Copper Shield Award Feb. 13th. The award is given to an outstanding Legislator for service in support of our military, veterans and their families. Rep. Carter was nominated by the Association of the U.S. Navy's Phoenix Saguaro Chapter for her work on legislation that extended veterans hiring preference benefits to all members of the Reserve and National Guard, along with her work for other legislation to extend college tuition and other benefits to returning veterans.

"She worked tirelessly with AUSN to get this bill and others all the way to the Governor's desk and into law," said Jon Altmann, AUSN National Vice President-Membership and a Phoenix chapter officer. "She stood head and shoulders above many this past year in helping us with a bill that helps both Arizona veterans, but is helping our AUSN Congressional liaison achieve equity via Federal legislation, with Arizona the first state to pass a bill on this issue," Altmann said.

Emceeing the awards ceremony and assisting in the awards presentation was COL Martha McSally, USAF (Ret.), the first woman fighter pilot to fight in combat in Iraq during Operation Southern Watch. In 2004, CO McSally again made history by commanding the 354th Fighter Squadron deployed to Afghanistan in OEF.

Rep. Carter is the first female legislator to receive the Copper Shield award. She is also a clinical associate professor of education at Arizona State University, where she has done extensive work with the Troops to Teachers program. The award is presented by the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society with nomination ftom the United Arizona Veterans, a veterans service organization that is an umbrella group representing more than 40 Arizona veterans groups.