By Judy Christie

Lt. Col. Darren L. Venters, USAF (Ret), “had two lives at the same time,” with 36 years of service in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve and 40 years with NC Machinery Co. and other Caterpillar dealers, including work as a governmental sales manager.

Twenty years ago, he and his wife, Paula, moved to Arizona.

“I looked around, and the grass was in, and I said, ‘What do we do next?’” Then a friend in their new neighborhood asked him to become active in MOAA.

A MOAA Life member, Venters is legislative liaison for the Green Valley (Ariz.) Chapter; former legislative chair for the Arizona Council of Chapters; past president of the Green Valley Chapter; and always dedicated to promoting legislation benefiting veterans and the military. He offers straightforward advice about getting involved: “What you can do is to quit talking to your TV and talk to your legislators.”

[TAKE ACTION: MOAA's Legislative Action Center]

In recognition of his significant efforts, including years of work to exempt military retirement pay and benefits from Arizona state income tax, Venters has been named 2024 chapter-level recipient of the Col. Steve Strobridge Legislative Liaison Award.

“Early on, I kind of focused on federal legislation,” he said, but then shifted to the state of Arizona. “I really need to pay attention to what’s going on at home. I can be much more effective there than I can working the D.C. issues.”

“It is at the state level where Venters’ efforts and performance are simply superb,” said CWO3 Jack Bundy, USA (Ret), president of the Green Valley Chapter. “He actively engages state legislators by visiting and talking to them in their offices, as well as by phone and email.”

Venters said it takes perseverance to get a bill passed. “I — along with many others — spent 12 years to gain state income tax exemption for retired pay and benefits in Arizona. It took a long time to get there. … We finally got it across the finish line.”

[RELATED: MOAA's Military State Report Card and Tax Guide]

Bundy praised Venters for those efforts.

“It was Darren who lobbied heavily and never gave up the fight to ensure the bill passed. Everyone agrees that he was the one who was most instrumental in getting the bill through the two houses of the Legislature.”

Venters was inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society in the Class of 2024. He is a life member of the Reserve Organization of America and a member of its national council, representing Arizona; a life member of the Air Force Association; and chair emeritus for the Arizona Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

He said he benefits from volunteerism: “Being able to stay involved in this allows you to stay current with what’s going on.”

Judy Christie is a writer in Colorado.