Thank Our Veterans For Service
By: U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis

In 1921, an unidentified American soldier of the First World War was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Settled on a hillside overlooking the Potomac River and Washington, D.C., the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier stands today as a sober reminder of the debt we owe to the brave men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice for this country.

Today, American soldiers are fighting hard-won battles in the sands of Iraq and Afghanistan. It is incumbent upon us to think of them while they are overseas, and perhaps more importantly to prepare for them an America that is even more hospitable to its veterans than the one they left to defend.

This year, our Congressional District was blessed, as I was able to secure the funding for five new veterans clinics in Campbell, Giles, Maury, Roane and Warren County. I will continue to work with state and local officials to see this funding put to use for our veterans as soon as possible.

There is no question the economic troubles we face today will take a toll on the national budget and diminish the ability of the federal government to strengthen some worthwhile initiatives. However, there is nothing we will face together that should deter us from fulfilling our duty to the soldiers returning from overseas.

Twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, an armed guard keeps watch over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier out of respect for the sacrifice of those who died. The Sentinels Creed, written for the guards on duty, reads, "Through the years of diligence and praise and the discomfort of the elements, I will walk my tour in humble reverence to the best of my ability." We can demand no less diligence from ourselves, and commit to keeping as steadfast a watch over our veterans as the guards who watch over the tomb in Arlington. Neither economic instability nor partisan gridlock or any outside force should deter us from giving our veterans the care they deserve. This Veterans Day, it is my sincere hope that we can take a moment to remember the sacrifice of those who have died in our service and use that memory as a guiding light for the work we have before us.