Veteran’s Day is a day of celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. It provides an opportunity for us to remember and honor the sacrifices our veterans have made in defending our country and protecting the rights and privileges we all continue to enjoy.
The debt owed every man and woman who has served their country can never be repaid in full. Their stories and history are woven into the rich and diverse tapestry that defines who we are as a people and a nation. Throughout our proud history as a country, when the times and circumstances demanded that we defend our rights and our freedom or fight for the rights and freedom of our brothers and sisters across the globe, they were there to step up and answer the call.
My father served in the Army during World War II and the Korean War. As I was growing up he didn’t share much about those experiences. It was only with his death, while I was going through his personal effects, that I found the medals he had been awarded, his discharge papers, and many other remnants of his military service. That was all that remained to tell his story. Let us do all we can to ensure that their words and memories are preserved for future generations to benefit from.
Many of our union brothers and sisters have served in the military and some have been called upon to serve in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Please keep all of the men and women in uniform in your thoughts and prayers that they may return home safe and unharmed, wherever they may be serving in the world.
As President of this great union, I am committed to ensuring that we do all we can to help our returning veterans transition back into the workforce and their communities. We will continue to support improving healthcare and other benefits for all veterans. We will continue to ensure that veterans are afforded their hiring preferences for federal jobs and are not discriminated against for employment. And we will be there to welcome them back to our union and our communities.
I personally thank each of our veterans for their service to our country. They are the unsung heroes and the true patriots.
Respectfully,
William R. Dougan