City Councilman Rory Diamond, who serves in the Florida Army National Guard, just returned from an eight-month deployment to the Middle East as a judge advocate general.
Diamond knows what it’s like to deal with all the worries and concerns that come with deployment.
“I saw first-hand the struggles of our service members and their families,” Diamond said.
And he wants the city of Jacksonville to do something to alleviate those struggles for city employees who serve in the military.
“Jacksonville should be the best city in America for deployed service members and their families,” Diamond said.
Diamond introduced the Jacksonville Heroes Act (Bill No. 2024-120), which he said will help bridge the gap for deployed service members and their families by tripling the amount of time the city will pay employees who are called for duty overseas.
Diamond said the bill will also create a first-in-the-nation eight-hours of “flex time” a month for spouses of deployed service members to help them shoulder the burden of taking care of their families while their loved one is deployed.
“If we truly want to be the best military community in the country, then lifting up the deployed and their families is the first step,” Diamond said.
The new legislation covers employees with the city of Jacksonville, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, JEA and Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.
Diamond will hold a news conference Wednesday morning announcing the legislation and will be joined by Sheriff T.K. Waters, JEA CEO Jay Stowe, and representatives from the Fraternal Order of Police, Jacksonville Association of Fire Fighters, and JEA unions.
To view a full copy of the bill visit: https://jaxcityc.legistar.com.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.