Rolling Thunder®, Inc. Indiana
POW/MIA License Plate
FUND HISTORY | THE PLATE | POC INFORMATION
Effective December 31st , 2017,
the Rolling Thunder® Indiana Veterans Fund (RTIVF) stopped processing
individual Veteran applications for financial assistance and is now
referring eligible Veterans to the Indiana Military Family Relief Fund
for financial assistance. Indiana Veterans that are not eligible for
the Indiana Military Family Relief Fund, will be referred to
Connect2Help for assistance.
The funds from the sale of the Prisoner of
War - Missing in Action specialty plate will continue to help our
Indiana Veterans in need through the Indiana Military Family Relief
Fund. 100% of the funds will go to helping our Hoosier Veterans.
The purchase of this special specialty
plate will also help the Rolling Thunder® Indiana Chapters in our
mission to bring awareness to the public that we still have Service
Members listed as unaccounted-for Nation-Wide.
Please consider purchasing a POW/MIA specialty plate on your next visit to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicle (BMV). When at the BMV, be sure to clarify that you want the POW/MIA specialty Plate Sponsored by Rolling Thunder® Indiana, NOT the Ex-POW plate. They are NOT the same plate.
FUND HISTORY
Starting in January 2010, the Indiana
POW/MIA specialty plate was made available to the public. When the
application for the Indiana POW/MIA Specialty Plate was submitted to
the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicle (BMV) for approval, the agreement
between Rolling Thunder® Indiana Chapter One and BMV was that the
$25.00 Group Fee would be deposited directly to the Indiana Military
Family Relief Fund (MFRF). The Rolling Thunder® Indiana Chapter One
would NOT receive any of the funds and 100% of the funds would be used
to help our Indiana Veterans in need.
The MFRF program is managed and operated
by the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs and the funds were only
available to Post 9/11 Veterans. The World War II, Korean War, and
Vietnam War Veterans were not eligible for MFRF assistance.
The Rolling Thunder® Indiana Chapter One
Board Members were concerned that the MFRF program was not helping all
Indiana Veterans needing assistance. The MFRF program was only
available to post 9/11 Service Members and their families while
deployed in support of the Gulf War and Global War on Terror. The
Rolling Thunder® Indiana Chapter One Board Members saw a need to assist
our Indiana World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War Veterans who are
having financial difficulties.
In January 2015, the Rolling Thunder®
Indiana Veterans Fund (RTIVF) was established, and started processing
Veteran applications in July 2015. The RTIVF program consisted of a
Committee represented by volunteers from all four of the Indiana
Chapters. None of the RTIVF Committee members received any pay from the
fund, and donated their time because they wanted to help our Indiana
Veterans in need.
In July 2016, Senate Bill 295 was passed
which made the Indiana Military Family Relief Fund (MFRF) available to
all Indiana Veterans that served on active duty during a national
conflict or wartime period. There are other qualifying criteria that
the Indiana Veteran must meet to be eligible for the MFRF grant. Please
refer to https://secure.in.gov/dva/2329.htm for more details.
In August 2017, the Rolling Thunder®, Inc
Indiana Chapters made the decision to stop processing individual
Veteran applications and refer the Veteran to the Indiana Military
Family Relief Fund (MFRF) for financial assistance. The Indiana
Military Family Relief Fund provides the same financial assistance to
our Indiana Veterans as the Rolling Thunder® Indiana Veterans Fund with
a few exceptions. Please refer to the MFRF website at https://secure.in.gov/dva/2329.htm for the details.
THE POW/MIA SPECIALTY PLATE FACTS & HISTORY
The POW/MIA specialty plate started as an idea of former Rolling Thunder®, Inc Indiana Chapter 1 President, Jon Brinkley.
Brinkley wanted to find a way to raise awareness for those left behind
in all wars and conflicts, and at the same time raise funds for
struggling military families. The dream came to pass in May 2009 when
the plate was first announced at the North Side Harley-Davidson store
on 96th street with Mayor Greg Ballard, State Senators Tom
Wyss and Jim Merritt, Commissioner of the Indiana Bureau of Motor
Vehicles, Andy Miller, and Tom Applegate, Director of the Indiana
Office of Veterans Affairs in attendance. Rolling Thunder®, Inc.’s application was one of many received and reviewed. The plate was accepted, in part, due to an uncommon level of distinction that sets the organization and its purpose for the plate apart from others.
There are several military specialty plates, but this one is different in several ways. There is no application process
to purchase a specialty plate; it is available to anyone with a valid
registration, and it directly offers support to veterans in need.
The cost of the POW/MIA specialty plate
includes vehicle registration fees and taxes, a group fee of $25, and
an Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles administrative fee of $15. The $25 group fee will go towards helping our Indiana Veterans.
Plates are available for cars, trucks (up
to 11,000 lbs.), and motorcycles. RV Motor Homes as well as RV pull
trailers may also be plated with the POW/MIA plate. Requests can be
made for a special numbered POW/MIA plate.
Commissioner of the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Andy Miller, summed up the purpose and motivation behind this plate saying,
"As motorists everywhere see this Indiana specialty plate, I sincerely hope that they will remember these heroes."
POINT OF CONTACT INFORMATION
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. Indiana Chapter One
Phone: 317-991-3085
Email: RTIVF@ATT.NET
Indiana Military Family Relief Fund (MFRF)
Phone: 317-232-3910
Website: https://secure.in.gov/dva/2329.htm
Connect2Help
Phone: 2-1-1 (Anywhere in Indiana)
Website: http://www.connect2help211.org/
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