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Honoring our veterans and military families U.S. Senator
Roger F. Wicker Recently,
millions of Americans took to the polls or mailed in ballots exercising
their right to vote. This important principle of our democracy is made
possible because of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who put
their lives on the line to defend our country. This Veterans Day, we
should remember the sacrifices of these brave men and women and honor
them for protecting the freedoms and values we cherish. As
a veteran, the son of a veteran, and the father of an Air Force
officer, I know firsthand the importance of loyalty and commitment as
well as the burden placed upon the families. Recently,
I spoke with the families of several Mississippi patriots who gave the
ultimate sacrifice for our country. My wife Gayle and I are always
struck by the courage and pride the families show when talking about
these heroes. This terrible loss of life is another reminder of how
much we owe the men and women who answer the call of duty. Although
we can never fully repay our military and their families for the
countless sacrifices they have made, America has a moral obligation
take care of our veterans. Keeping our Promise to Veterans As
the first Mississippian to serve on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs
Committee, I remain committed to strengthening care and improving the
quality of life for service members. Congress needs to implement
policies that will sustain comprehensive veterans’ benefits and remove
unnecessary bureaucratic red tape. I have met
with Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric Shinseki a number of times to
discuss some of the problems I hear from Mississippi veterans. Today,
too many veterans face difficulties trying to receive the benefits
promised to them when they joined the military. The backlog of VA
claims and time it takes to process these claims leaves many of our
American heroes fighting layers of red tape. We
need to accelerate the modernization of the claims and benefits process
through electronic records. Erasing the backlog is a critical part of
maintaining the standard of care veterans deserve. Our
service members returning home from war also need to have first-rate
health care. The military medical system has made incredible strides in
treating traumatic injuries that were fatal just 10 years ago. Recently,
I met with a wounded warrior from Mississippi who was injured in an
attack in Afghanistan. This soldier was hit by an improvised explosive
device, severely damaging the right side of his body. With the
exceptional medical care offered through our military medical system,
this brave soldier is making a remarkable recovery. Congress
should continue to provide the funding needed for medical research that
allows our military facilities to meet the unique needs of those
injured in combat. As we all know, today’s wounded warrior becomes
tomorrow’s veteran. Providing Education and Job Opportunities for America’s Heroes When
members of the Armed Forces return home, they need access to jobs.
Congress recognized the need to improve the educational benefits for
our veterans after 9-11. The new GI bill
provides additional incentives for educational opportunities for
veterans and their families. The law assists veterans with funding for
housing, books and tuition for graduate, undergraduate, or
vocational-technical training. Providing educational opportunities and
vocational training will help veterans transition to civilian life and
compete for jobs in the workforce. Honoring Those Who Served Mississippi
has a long legacy of patriotism and commitment to the military. Our
state is home to approximately 250,000 veterans, and more than 2,000
Mississippians are currently overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. These
men and women have stepped forward to serve our country under the most
difficult circumstances. Let us remember that we should honor these
American heroes not only on Veterans Day, but each and every day. To
all of the Mississippi veterans and service members, I thank you for
your sacrifices and unwavering commitment to our country.
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