WILMINGTON, Del. — Congressman John Carney (D-DE) issued the following statement today in recognition of Veterans Day, which falls on Tuesday.  Tomorrow, Congressman Carney will participate in the annual Veterans Day Ceremony, hosted by the Delaware Commission on Veteran Affairs and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.  The ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. and will be held at the Memorial Bridge Plaza in New Castle.  Delaware is currently home to more than 78,000 veterans.

 

“On Veterans Day, we remember and honor all the members of the armed forces whose sacrifice protects the freedom and liberty that we have today.

 

It has been said that a veteran is someone, who at one point in their life, wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America for an amount up to, and including, their life.  It is our nation’s solemn obligation, when Americans make that commitment, to support them and their families during their service and ensure that their needs are met when they come home.  

 

I am reminded of this responsibility every day in Washington when I go to vote and am greeted on the floor of the House of Representatives by veterans who have lost arms or legs in service to their country.  I am reminded of it when I visit the Delaware Veterans Home or the VA Medical Center in Elsmere.  And I am reminded of it when I meet the outstanding young men and women who apply to my office for a military academy nomination.

 

I’m inspired by these brave men and women who have faced such tremendous challenges, and yet maintain a sense of patriotism and commitment to service.  They are a strong reminder of the cost of freedom and the tremendous burden that veterans and their families bear.

 

I am incredibly thankful for the service and sacrifice of our veterans.  I try every day to put country ahead of self and be worthy of their example as I represent Delaware in the U.S. House of Representatives.”

 

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