Near a small village in Northeastern France stands a memorial honoring Missourians who sacrificed their lives in World War I. It was near this spot that a young artillery officer named Harry Truman served with distinction, training his guns on the unprotected flank of the 35th Division – a hastily organized unit that drew significantly from the Missouri National Guard. Under Captain Truman’s leadership, his artillery unit fired some of the final shots of World War I towards German positions shortly before the armistice took effect.

I’m proud to work in Harry Truman’s former office in the U.S. Senate today, and even prouder to represent the brave men and women in Missouri who have risked their lives in service to our great nation.

More than 500,000 veterans currently reside in Missouri, and as I travel the state, I’m always honored to meet these heroes and their families. The demands placed on our servicemen and women today have never been greater – including multiple deployments, extended separation from loved ones, physical and psychological wounds of war, and continued economic uncertainty when searching for civilian jobs when they return home.

All of these deployments, long and short, have real costs for the families and communities, and workplaces in our state.  Our veterans deserve good-paying jobs, which is why we must pass pro-growth policies to create more economic certainty and spur job creation in Missouri and nationwide. Last year, I was proud to vote for important tax incentives for businesses that hire veterans – a bill that was signed into law with overwhelming bipartisan support. We owe it to these brave heroes to ensure they have every opportunity to earn a living once they return home.

Unfortunately, the state of our economy continues to threaten our nation’s security. The federal debt now exceeds $16 trillion – an unacceptable burden and unsustainable direction that compromises our national security and our influence around the world. In September, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen warned, “A nation with our current levels of unsustainable debt... cannot hope to sustain for very long its superiority from a military perspective, or its influence in world affairs.”

We must rein in federal spending, but it’s critical that we make wise decisions when working to balance our budget and pay down this debt. If we’re going to protect our country against those who wish us harm, we cannot implement reckless, across-the-board budgetary cuts that compromise our combat readiness and potentially hinder the men and women who are stationed around the world and are bravely defending America. Across the board cuts are the easy and wrong solution.

I’m committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure our men and women in uniform and our veterans of all generations have the resources and opportunities they deserve. On this Veterans Day, we honor our military heroes who have put their lives on the line, and we remain indebted to all those who have sacrificed to protect our freedoms.