A Colorado Springs Veteran wants a Bronze Star Colorado license plate approved by the legislature. Other special military plates are already available through the state.

District 9 State Senator Doug Lamborn is sponsoring the bill that would create the Bronze Star plate for the state. It unanimously passed the Senate Transportation Committee this week.

Air Force Veteran Joseph Duffy was awarded the Bronze Star after his second tour of duty in Vietnam. He learned there was no such Bronze Star plate when he went to register his cars in Colorado Springs. He had a Bronze Star plate when he lived in Virginia. That’s when he called Senator Lamborn asking for his help.

“He picked up the baton and we ran with it,” said Duffy.

Senator Lamborn says there are about 500,000 veterans living in Colorado. He says about 5,000 of them have the Bronze Star. He wants to honor those veterans with the license plate.

“It’s a way of honoring our veterans, many of whom have made a tremendous sacrifice. That’s why they received the Bronze Star,” said Sen. Lamborn.

The Bronze Star is awarded for heroic or meritorious achievement or service while engaged in action against an enemy or in military operations, according to Senator Lamborn’s office.

Joseph Duffy hopes Iraq and Afghanistan veterans awarded with the Bronze Star will soon have the option of getting the plate.

“It’s not for me. It’s for our troops, to show our appreciation for our troops,” said Duffy.

The bill now goes on to the Appropriations Committee.