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I
recently received an email from a friend, writing about his father’s
funeral. One of the things that had most moved him at the funeral was
the military honors his father received, decades after having served his
nation. His father was a World War II Marine, barely over the age of 18
when he shipped out, eager to join his older friends halfway across the
world. He served his country honorably and came home and lived the rest
of his life – went to work, married, bought a house, had children. Life
was busy. He didn’t talk often to his children about his time overseas.
But when he did my friend always said you could see a little bit of the
18-year old young man he once was in his eyes, recounting a prank his
fellow Marines played or telling of the long letters he used to get from
the woman who would later become his wife and my friend’s mother. He
didn’t talk too much about the serious stuff, but my friend could always
tell his father was proud of being a Marine. He wore his Marine Corps
League pin on the lapel of his jacket on all special occasions and
always paid a little more attention to the holiday cards from his Marine
buddies than the ones from other lifelong friends.
At his funeral, like the funerals of so many Marine veterans, today’s
Marines were there to make sure he was remembered as an American hero no
matter how many years had passed since he had served in the military.
The Marines, in full dress blues, first played Taps, the solemn sound of
the trumpet echoing across the quiet cemetery. Then, the Marines took
the American flag that was draped over his father’s casket and in the
silent, formal fashion of the military, folded the flag and presented it
to my friend. “It was truly heart-wrenching,” my friend wrote,
“and a great, wonderful sendoff.” My friend’s father was buried with
his Marine Corps pin proudly affixed to his lapel.
As I thought about the day we mark on November 11, 2007 – Veterans Day –
that email kept coming back to me. It made the recent story about the
Department of Veterans Affairs temporarily banning recitations at
military funerals to avoid any reference to religion all the more
abhorrent to me – how could we deprive a veteran’s family of this ritual
steeped with meaning? It made me work harder to
ensure
the Department changed back their policy to allow families to
request the recitation of words to accompany the folding of the flag.
I also kept thinking what it means to have served our nation in the
Armed Services and what it means to be a veteran. Today, our living
veterans come in all ages and from all walks of life. Each has a
different story, just like the generations of American veterans that
have come before them. And each, no matter where they are in life now,
lives every day as a military veteran of this great country. We don’t
always know who they are – sometimes a glimpse of a pin or a hat or a
story gives us a clue. Our veterans are often most remarkable for not
seeking any special attention for what they have contributed to this
country. And it is this exact reason that we must remember, as a
country, to pay them the respect they deserve.
One way to honor the memory of our living veterans is to record their
reflections through the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project.
The Veterans History Project, which I am proud to sponsor, is a national
collection of the experiences of war veterans from all service branches.
The Veterans History Project collects and preserves audio- and
video-recorded oral histories from America’s war veterans and those who
served in support of them, along with other first-hand materials such as
memoirs, photographs, diaries, and letters. If you know a war veteran,
please consider interviewing them for this important national project.
If you are a war veteran, please consider sharing your story.
Instructions and guidelines for participation are available at
http://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.html or by calling the Veterans
History Project at 1-888-371-5848.
The Veterans History Project allows us to ensure that the sacrifices of
our veterans aren’t lost to time. Military honors at a funeral are a
tribute to how we should honor our veterans at the end of their lives.
Veterans Day allows us to remember to honor our living veterans and tell
them – even if it is just with a simple ‘thank you’ – how grateful we
are for their service to our country.
Growing Economies
Recently, the Fourth Congressional District of Virginia had two
important economic impact announcements that highlighted the value of
some of the growing industries and military installations in the Fourth
District.
First, the Virginia Employment Commission released the updated Fort Lee
Economic Impact Study on Monday, October 29, 2007. The study measures
the economic impact of Fort Lee on the surrounding region, including the
counties of Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, and Prince George and the Cities of
Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg and Richmond.
Highlights
of the study include:
• In 2006, the total impact of Fort Lee on the region was $803.1
million.
• In 2007, the total value of output will increase by 43% to $1.1
billion and by 2008 that could increase another 45% to $1.6 billion in
total impact from Fort Lee.
• In 2006, total compensation paid to all affected workers in the
impacted region was $779 million.
• In 2008, compensation will increase to $1.2 billion and reach $1.4
billion by 2012 and 2013.
• In 2006 Fort Lee generated $53 million in state and local taxes.
• In the years 2007 through 2013 total taxes could increase to $580
million with $200 million in local revenue.
The study was conducted by the Virginia Economic Commission on the
behalf of the Crater Planning District Commission. To read the study in
its entirety,
click here.
In the Hampton Roads region, an updated study was conducted by the
Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center (VMASC) on the impact
the Modeling, Simulation, and & Visualization industry has on the
economy of the region. The results are equally as impressive.
Highlights of the study include:
• In 2007, total economic output is estimated to be $639 million
compared to $412 million in 2004.
• In 2007, gross regional product is estimated to be $408 million
compared to $248 million in 2004.
• In 2007, average annual salaries in the M&S industry in Hampton Roads
are over $82,000.
As the M&S
industry continues to grow throughout the region through the
addition of M&S technologies such as medical modeling, game-based
technologies, and transportation modeling in addition to the current
defense focus, the economic impact should continue to increase.
Both of these studies highlight exciting economic news for the Fourth
District, and even more positive news is likely to come as both Fort Lee
and the M&S industry continue to grow. |