Veterans Day is a day of remembrance to honor America’s veterans, living and dead, for their sacrifice in serving our country. We remember and honor those who stepped up when circumstances demanded and answered the call to defend our country and protect the rights and privileges we all continue to enjoy.
Last year I told you about the son of one of my high school classmates and how he had been horribly injured by an IED as he led his Marine Corps platoon on patrol in Afghanistan. Now, a year later, I am happy to report that Cameron is recovering from the loss of a leg and several fingers on one hand as well as the shrapnel that was embedded in his arms and legs, and has regained vision in his eye. He continues to proudly serve his country as a Marine training instructor at Camp Pendleton, and recently competed in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC. His resolve to overcome his physical challenges and not let them be a barrier in his life is nothing short of amazing and serves as an inspiration to all of us.
There are tens of thousands of veterans just like Cameron who have returned home over the years from serving their country. Many served in the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq, while others served in Operation Desert Storm, Vietnam, Korea, World War II, and countless other conflicts over the past several decades. Many of our own union brothers and sisters continue to serve in the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Please keep all 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 support making sure that all of our returning veterans are afforded the opportunity to transition back into America’s workforce by having a job that pays a living wage. We will continue to ensure that veterans are afforded their hiring preferences for federal jobs and are not discriminated against for employment. And most importantly of all, we will be there to welcome them back to our union and our communities.
