Below is a copy of the public testimony delivered by the Sierra Club and partners in February 2026 at the Georgia Senate Committee on Military, Veterans, and Homeland Security hearing on SB 190, the Georgia Honor and Wellness Act. The bill seeks to grant free entry to Georgia State Parks for veterans, active-duty service members, Gold Star families, and military families.
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Testimony from Sherman Neal II, Marine Corps veteran and deputy director of the Sierra Club's Military Outdoors program
Good morning. Thank you to the members of the Senate Committee for Military, Veterans, and Homeland Security for your time, and service to Georgia. My name is Sherman Neal II. I am a United States Marine Corps Veteran, resident of Johns Creek, and have the privilege of leading the Sierra Club’s Military Outdoors Campaign.
In 2017, while deployed in support of operations against the Islamic State, I wrote letters to my daughter who was born (4) days into deployment. I was uncertain if we would ever meet. This morning, I reread one of the letters. Two passages:
- “I can’t cry.”
- “I am glad this is over, but I doubt things get easier.”
I have only recently unpacked how my time in the Marines shaped my mental health. I am always in close proximity to conflicting feelings of pride and guilt, for making the decision to prioritize the Marines over self and family. I am not far removed from understanding the value of $10 during transition periods with no income. Increases in fees, or the presence of fees at all, have real consequences for servicemembers, veterans, and families in transition.
Military service is a life-altering experience for all who have served. Many of those life-altering experiences begin, and end, near Georgia State Parks. Thousands of servicemembers, and their families, call places like Kings Bay Naval Station, Ft. Stewart, and Moody Air Force Base home. There is no better way of increasing the resiliency of our servicemembers, families, and local economies than inviting military communities to parks such as Crooked River State Park, Skidaway Island State Park, and Reed Bingham State Park, respectively.
A recent visit to Red Top Mountain State Park introduced me to the story of Tuskegee Airman John Lloyd Atkinson, the founder and superintendent of George Washington Carver State Park. After returning from WWII, he envisioned a park that would serve as a beacon for people seeking refuge during a tumultuous time in the state, and undoubtedly saved the lives of many who patronized “the beach.” The extraordinary courage of one soldier, met by a willingness by the state to take some risk, led to the creation of an inclusive park that continues to shape economic investment in Bartow County today. Imagine what your vote today will inspire tomorrow.
Bringing Georgia into alignment with our national parks, and other states in the southeast, will keep servicemembers healthy, alive, and invested in Georgia. I urge you to pass SB1 90 today, on behalf of those who defend Georgia and the United States.
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Testimony from Raquel Durden, U.S. Army veteran and founder of Humble Warrior Wellness & Yoga
My name is Raquel Durden. I am a retired US Army, Lieutenant Colonel, combat Veteran, founder of Humble Warrior Wellness & Yoga nonprofit, and was honored as Georgia Woman Veteran of the Year in 2025. Through my nonprofit, we provide holistic wellness programs for women who serve across our state.
Each year, we host a Gratitude Walk in one of our Georgia State Parks. We intentionally choose state parks because they are safe, structured environments with clear entrances, designated parking, and a security presence. That matters to the women we serve.
What’s most striking is this: the vast majority of participants tell us they had never visited the Georgia State Park before. We make it accessible by covering the admission fees. Once they experience it, many return with their families or friends.
SB 190 would remove that barrier and support enhanced wellbeing.
The National Park Service reports that spending at least 120 minutes per week in nature is associated with significantly better physical and mental well-being. Time outdoors lowers stress hormones, reduces blood pressure, and improves symptoms of anxiety and depression. For many veterans, nature is not simply recreation — it is restoration. Passing this bill also achieves parity with the federal government providing free national park admission. Georgia doesn’t offer many benefits to the veteran community, and SB 190 offers meaningful appreciation.
I recognize the Department of Natural Resources’ concern about lost admission revenue. Fiscal stewardship matters. But increased visitation leads to spending on shelter rentals, campsites, concessions, and local businesses. Georgia State Parks already generate more than $1 billion annually in statewide economic impact. This bill can also be paired with thoughtful offsets — specialty license plates dedicated to parks, voluntary donation stations, and partnership funding.
SB 190 is a fiscally responsible way to promote preventive health, strengthen families, and tangibly honor those who have served — and the Gold Star families who sacrificed most.
I respectfully ask for your support. Thank you.
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Testimony from Vedia Barnett, disabled Air Force veteran and founder of The Vet Space
My name is Vedia Barnett. I am a disabled United States Air Force veteran and the founder of The Vet Space, a Georgia-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering women veterans through nature-based healing and community connection.
After a life-altering stroke, I fell into a very dark place. I was suicidal. When I called the Veterans Crisis Line, one of the first grounding techniques they encouraged was simple: go outside. Get fresh air. Feel the sun. Move your body if you can. That small step — stepping into nature — became the beginning of my stabilization and recovery.
That experience is why this bill matters so deeply to me.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, more than 6,000 veterans die by suicide each year — an average of over 17 per day. Veterans face higher rates of suicide than the general population, particularly those navigating disability, transition stress, chronic health conditions, or invisible wounds like PTSD.
Research consistently shows that time spent in green space reduces depression and anxiety, lowers stress hormones like cortisol, improves cardiovascular health, and strengthens social connection — all protective factors against suicide risk. Access to nature is associated with lower psychological distress and improved overall well-being.
For many veterans, outdoor access is not recreation. It is preventive mental health care. It is regulation. It is a connection. In some cases, it is lifesaving.
Through The Vet Space, we serve thousands of women veterans across Georgia and intentionally host wellness events in Georgia State Parks because we have seen the transformation that happens in those spaces. Women who arrive withdrawn and overwhelmed leave grounded, connected, and hopeful.
Senate Bill 190 removes cost as a barrier to accessing these healing spaces. The fiscal impact is limited and defined. Veterans are a specific population, many already purchase annual passes, and increased visitation frequently generates secondary economic activity in surrounding communities.
But beyond economics, this legislation reflects Georgia’s moral commitment to those who have served. Service does not end when the uniform comes off. Many veterans continue fighting battles long after active duty.
This is not about partisanship. It is about saving lives, strengthening families, and honoring service in a meaningful way.
I respectfully ask you to vote yes on SB 190. Thank you for your leadership and for your continued service to our state.