Many Thanks to our Nation's Veterans
November 11, 2012
Dear Friend,
Today, November 11th, is Veterans Day - a time when we as a nation pause to honor and recognize the enormous sacrifices of our nation's veterans and their families.
There are more than 1.4 million Armed Forces personnel currently serving our nation on Active Duty around the world. There are 3.1 million family members of Active Duty and Reserve Members.
These brave Americans are serving our country selflessly - without any expectation of recognition, gratitude, or praise. They do it out of duty, out of honor. They do it for us.
The most meaningful way to show our gratitude for this sacrifice is to fulfill our commitment to our service members, our veterans, and their families.
As a combat veteran myself, I fully understand the importance of making sure our nation's veterans receive the benefits they have earned.
We must strengthen health care services for all our veterans - from the catastrophically disabled to those suffering from PTS, depression and traumatic brain injuries. We must continue to provide support to help family members and caregivers who nurse our wounded soldiers.
We must make sure our war heroes have opportunities - the opportunity to get a quality education, the opportunity to get a good-paying job, and the opportunity for a dignified retirement.
We have already taken significant steps to fulfill these promises.
We've restored the promise of a full, four-year college education for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan and their families through the new GI Bill; we've provided tax incentives to businesses that put unemployed veterans back to work, and money for job training; we've increased job opportunities for veterans in high-growth fields like the energy sector and ensured that veteran-owned small businesses can fairly compete for federal contracts; we've expanded homeownership opportunities to and refinancing options for veterans; we've made investments to help reduce veteran homelessness by nearly 10,000 from 2010-2011; and, just this last year I worked to pass a bill in the House that will make sure veterans who return from combat with TBI and PTS have access to innovative treatments like those being offered in Yountville at the Pathway Home - even if they are outside of the VA system.
But there is always more we can do. No one who has honorably served our nation should go without a paycheck or a roof over their head. Whatever we think about war, we must always, always honor our warriors.
So today, let us honor those who sacrificed their lives for our country the best way we know how: by pledging to always take care of the mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters, and fellow soldiers they left behind.
And let us all work and pray for peace - for the day when war is not a reality, but a far-distant memory. As John F. Kennedy said, “Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind.”
Our veterans and their families are American heroes. Today and always, we salute you.
Sincerely,
Mike Thompson
Today, November 11th, is Veterans Day - a time when we as a nation pause to honor and recognize the enormous sacrifices of our nation's veterans and their families.
There are more than 1.4 million Armed Forces personnel currently serving our nation on Active Duty around the world. There are 3.1 million family members of Active Duty and Reserve Members.
These brave Americans are serving our country selflessly - without any expectation of recognition, gratitude, or praise. They do it out of duty, out of honor. They do it for us.
The most meaningful way to show our gratitude for this sacrifice is to fulfill our commitment to our service members, our veterans, and their families.
As a combat veteran myself, I fully understand the importance of making sure our nation's veterans receive the benefits they have earned.
We must strengthen health care services for all our veterans - from the catastrophically disabled to those suffering from PTS, depression and traumatic brain injuries. We must continue to provide support to help family members and caregivers who nurse our wounded soldiers.
We must make sure our war heroes have opportunities - the opportunity to get a quality education, the opportunity to get a good-paying job, and the opportunity for a dignified retirement.
We have already taken significant steps to fulfill these promises.
We've restored the promise of a full, four-year college education for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan and their families through the new GI Bill; we've provided tax incentives to businesses that put unemployed veterans back to work, and money for job training; we've increased job opportunities for veterans in high-growth fields like the energy sector and ensured that veteran-owned small businesses can fairly compete for federal contracts; we've expanded homeownership opportunities to and refinancing options for veterans; we've made investments to help reduce veteran homelessness by nearly 10,000 from 2010-2011; and, just this last year I worked to pass a bill in the House that will make sure veterans who return from combat with TBI and PTS have access to innovative treatments like those being offered in Yountville at the Pathway Home - even if they are outside of the VA system.
But there is always more we can do. No one who has honorably served our nation should go without a paycheck or a roof over their head. Whatever we think about war, we must always, always honor our warriors.
So today, let us honor those who sacrificed their lives for our country the best way we know how: by pledging to always take care of the mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters, and fellow soldiers they left behind.
And let us all work and pray for peace - for the day when war is not a reality, but a far-distant memory. As John F. Kennedy said, “Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind.”
Our veterans and their families are American heroes. Today and always, we salute you.
Sincerely,
Mike Thompson