Congressman Cantor Honors Local Veterans

RICHMOND, VA – Today, Congressman Eric Cantor (VA-07) released the following statement in honor of Veterans Day and as a tribute to the eight veterans from the Seventh District of Virginia who received the 2012 Congressional Veteran Commendation during a ceremony at Clover Hill High School:

“As we celebrate Veterans Day, we pay tribute to the brave men and women in uniform who have defended our shores, preserved our freedom and promoted liberty since the founding of our nation, and we pray for those currently serving who are still in harm’s way. We also recognize the sacrifices made by our military families. Their support during and after service and deployments is invaluable to our troops.

“Today, I had the opportunity to honor eight remarkable veterans from the Seventh District of Virginia. In recognition of their service to our nation, Captain Donald Bloomquist, Sergeant Walter George, Sergeant Zac Horne, Colonel Guy Kissinger, Jr., Fireman First Class Howard Mills, Captain Philip Poag, Jr., Sergeant Jimmy Ray, and Colonel Daniel Walton received the Congressional Veteran Commendation. Each of these heroes stepped up when our nation needed them and helped preserve American freedom for this generation and the next. I offer my deepest gratitude and respect to every man and woman who served in our armed forces for their courage, their sacrifice and their willingness to serve."

2012 Congressional Veteran Commendation Recipients:

Captain Donald Bloomquist, U.S. Army, Henrico

Sergeant Walter George, U.S. Army, Henrico

Chief Petty Officer Zac Horne, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, Hanover

Colonel Guy Kissinger, Jr., U.S. Marine Corps, Richmond

Fireman First Class Howard Mills, U.S. Navy, Culpeper

Captain Philip Poag, Jr., U.S. Army, Chesterfield

Sergeant James “Jimmy” Ray, U.S. Army, Henrico

Colonel Daniel Walton, U.S. Army Air Corps, Orange