As spring turns to summer, families and friends across
our nation come together to celebrate our flag, our fallen heroes, and the
freedoms they fought to protect. This Memorial
Day, we remember the service men and women
who gave their lives for the peace and safety we feel in our Wisconsin homes. From
Arlington
National Cemetery to Milwaukee’s Wood National
Cemetery, flowers
and flags adorn the gravestones of our fallen soldiers, sailors, airmen and
marines. The commitment and sacrifice of our armed forces has reinforced
America’s most fundamental values.
As we honor the courage of the fallen, we must also
honor the brave men and women that returned home and remain with us today.
Their courage under threat, patience in the face of adversity, and modesty in
service are what make our troops such exemplary leaders both on the battlefield
and when they return home. These veterans do not ask for our praise. Yet on
this Memorial Day and everyday, we owe them our deepest gratitude and
respect.
We can never fully repay them for their service, but I
am working hard to secure better health services for our veterans in Wisconsin. Wisconsin recently opened a new Veterans Center in Brown County
and another will soon be opening in La
Crosse. We are taking significant steps towards
addressing the needs of Wisconsin’s former service
members.
Still, tens of thousands of our veterans lack access to
the critical support Veterans Centers provide. Some veterans in north central
Wisconsin have
to drive for hours to receive the support they need and deserve. That’s a
fundamental disservice to the men and women who have sacrificed for this country
and I have contacted the US Department of Veterans Affairs about the need for a
new Veterans Center in northern Wisconsin and additional counselors at the Milwaukee Veterans Center.
I am also working to develop affordable educational
opportunities for veterans. I have requested funding to establish a
Veterans Center at Western Technical College in La
Crosse to provide academic, career and social services to
veterans and their families. Additionally, I have requested funding to develop
a program at UW-Stevens Point to provide financial, career and social resources
to disabled veterans returning from combat.
This Memorial Day, we remember the steep price of our
freedom as we commemorate the lives and contributions of those who have passed
and those who remain in harm’s way. Let us rededicate ourselves, this May 31,
to honoring our nation’s veterans.