Moylan Bill Honors Fallen Young Veterans

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Marty Moylan, D-Des Plaines, helped pass legislation this week that would allow school districts to honor students who dropped out to serve in the armed forces and later died in combat.

“A gesture as simple as granting a high school degree would go far in honoring these young heroes,” said Moylan. “Allowing school boards to award those fallen with a diploma, recognizes not only the personal sacrifice they made by forgoing their education, but it also honors the ultimate sacrifice they made fighting for their country.

The Moylan-backed House Bill 2177 would allow high schools in Illinois to confer a posthumous diploma to students who left school to fight in wars such as Korea and Vietnam and in the course of their service died in combat. Over 3,000 American service members aged 18 and under were killed in combat fighting in Vietnam, showing how recently high schoolers were allowed to fight for their country.

“Veterans of all ages, races, religions, and genders who fought and died defending our country deserve respect,” said Moylan. “It’s important that we never forget what they did so that we may live our life in peace.”