Republican gubernatorial candidate Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, center, greets Bob Reed after speaking at Veterans Village in downtown Las Vegas Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Republican gubernatorial candidate Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, right, greets World War II veteran Vernon Fulcher after speaking at Veterans Village in downtown Las Vegas Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. Looking on is Bob Reed, left. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Republican gubernatorial candidate Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, right, greets Glenn Noll, left, and Barbara Rodgick after speaking at Veterans Village in downtown Las Vegas Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Veterans and supporters gather at Veterans Village 2 in downtown Las Vegas Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018, to hear Republican gubernatorial candidate Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Veterans and supporters recite the Pledge of Allegiance at Veterans Village 2 in downtown Las Vegas Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018, before a speech from Republican gubernatorial candidate Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Republican gubernatorial candidate Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt speaks at Veterans Village in downtown Las Vegas Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Republican gubernatorial candidate Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt speaks at Veterans Village in downtown Las Vegas Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Republican gubernatorial candidate Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt speaks at Veterans Village in downtown Las Vegas Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Republican gubernatorial candidate Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt speaks at Veterans Village in downtown Las Vegas Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Republican gubernatorial candidate Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt greets supporters after speaking at Veterans Village in downtown Las Vegas Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Republican gubernatorial candidate Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, right, greets Frank Myers after speaking at Veterans Village in downtown Las Vegas Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Republican gubernatorial candidate Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, center, poses with Sandra Scott, left, and Dixie Thompson after speaking at Veterans Village in downtown Las Vegas Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto
Republican Nevada governor candidate Adam Laxalt says he wants to tackle veterans issues “head-on” if elected. At a campaign event Wednesday at Veterans Village, 50 N. 51st Street, Laxalt unveiled the first major platform of his campaign. He said it is aimed at making Nevada “the most veteran-empowering state in the nation.”
Laxalt said he wants to build on the success of Gov. Brian Sandoval’s veterans-focused initiatives, and he laid out his vision for how he would do so.
Specifically, Laxalt promised to re-establish the Veterans Suicide Prevention Task Foce to refine policies and programs aimed at reducing the veteran suicide rate.
“We must ensure that Nevada’s veterans who are struggling with the enormous challenge of returning to everyday life get the support, care and services they need,” Laxalt told the crowd Wednesday.
Part of that effort, he said, is ensuring veterans are able to find employment when they return home from duty. Laxalt also said he wants to create a Veterans Summit, modeled after the Law Enforcement Summit he established as attorney general, that would bring military veteran leaders from across the state together to discuss their successes and figure out new ways to help veterans.
“Our men and women in the armed services put their lives at risk every day to defend our freedoms. We must stand with them and their families while they are abroad, and even more so when they return home,” Laxalt said.