Senator Coons recognizes ‘best of Delaware’ at dedication of Medal of Honor trail

Senator Coons delivered remarks Monday at the opening of the new walking trail at the Wilmington VA Medical Center Pavilion, dedicated in memory of Delaware’s 15 Medal of Honor recipients. The trail, which measures nearly a mile long, is dotted by 15 benches, red bud trees, and plaques, each engraved with the names, rank, and mission of each recipient.

Senator Coons asked attendees at the ceremony to imagine themselves in the harrowing situations faced by some of Delaware’s Medal of Honor recipients. “Imagine yourself, a 25 year old, 4,000 miles away from Wilmington, trying to storm a mine-laden beach in France,” Senator Coons said. “What would anyone of us have done if our commanding officer was killed? And then our sergeant was killed? If we were hit with shrapnel, not once but twice, and then shot in the leg, unable to move any further. Would any of us have had the courage not just to continue, but to lead? This was Sgt. James P. Connor’s story.”

“Despite injury, despite unthinkable odds, Sgt. Connor, and so many other brave Medal of Honor recipients found the strength to carry on, to lead their units, and complete their missions,” said Senator Coons.

Senator Coons closed his remarks by thanking veterans who were in attendance as well as the many descendants of Medal of Honor recipients who were on hand for the dedication.

‘Prayer answered,’ Senator Coons salutes safe return of Delaware National Guard unit

Senator Coons had the honor of welcoming home more than 120 members of the Delaware National Guard’s 153rd Military Police Company on Saturday. More than 1,000 family members, friends, and supporters gathered at historic Fort DuPont in Delaware City to greet and offer thanks to service members returning from their nine-month deployment in Afghanistan.

“I am so grateful to God almighty, to your friends and family, to the veterans who have supported you, to the prayers that have lifted you up, to the National Guard who has trained and sustained and supported you, and to the men and women of this community that you are here home safe today,” Senator Coons said. “You are a prayer answered.”

The 153rd participated in nearly 400 missions, many in concert with the Afghan Uniformed Police. The unit responded to significant acts on the western side of Kandahar City, conducted combat patrols, protected power plants, and operated checkpoints that netted six known Taliban members.

Among the ranks were Master Sergeant Marvin Hackett, Staff Sergeant Sidney Baker, and Sergeant Richard Whalen, who completed their fourth tours of duty, as well as Specialist Luis Toledo-Reyes, who recently earned his United States citizenship while in Afghanistan.

The 153rd arrived at the ceremony accompanied by the Patriot Guard Riders, a nationally known motorcycle brigade whose mission is to honor those who risk their lives for America’s freedom and security.

“The Patriot Guard Riders brought you in with style and with courage and they remind us that every veteran deserves a welcome home,” Senator Coons said. “We are thankful they were able to give the 153rd that welcome home today.”

Senator Coons closed his remarks with a message of gratitude for Delaware’s servicemen and women. “You are a remarkable group, not just of soldiers, but of citizens; not just of citizens, but of patriots. We are grateful to God for your service and your safe return home.”

Halting the rise in sexual assaults in the military

The disturbing arrests of an Army sergeant and an Air Force colonel who were responsible for training servicemembers to prevent sexual assaults have brought into acute focus to what has become a widespread problem: the staggering rise in sexual assaults within our military.

Senator Coons is determined to stop it and end the truly corrosive impact of this behavior in our armed forces.

According to the FY2012 Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office report released last week by the Defense Department, an estimated 26,000 cases of sexual assault occurred in FY2012, a 37 percent increase from FY2011. Another report released by the Defense Department late last month showed that more than 1 in 5 female servicemembers reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact while serving in the military.

Stopping this trend has earned bipartisan and bicameral support in the form of the Military Justice Improvement Act, which Senator Coons helped introduce on Thursday.

Senator Coons, who described the rise as "chilling," told the News Journal that "we clearly have a cultural problem" in our armed forces, noting that a lack of real consequence has led to widespread abuse.

"This bill tries to strike at what is driving that continuing cultural problem, which is that the U.S. military has a legal system that is significantly out of date," Senator Coons said. "And it puts the responsibility for prosecution and conviction where it should be – in the hands of a competent prosecutor rather than in the hands of the officers who often don’t have the training or experience to handle it.”

The Military Justice Improvement Act would for the first time remove the decision whether to take a case to special or general court-martial completely out of the chain of command and give that discretion to experienced military prosecutors for all crimes punishable by one year or more in confinement, except crimes that are uniquely military in nature, such as disobeying orders or going AWOL.

Senator Coons inspired by Pearl Harbor survivor

MILFORD — To mark the 71st anniversary of the day our nation was attacked at Pearl Harbor, Senator Coons spent the afternoon of December 7th visiting the Delaware Veterans Home in Milford. 

While he was there, Chris was deeply moved by the harrowing story of Thomas Morris, a World War II veteran who survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  Now over 90 years old, Mr. Morris shared his inspirational story of courage and determination from December 7, 1941.

Originally from Cecil County, Maryland, Mr. Morris joined the Navy and was serving aboard the USS California on the day Pearl Harbor was bombed.  After a torpedo hit his ship, he rushed to rescue his fellow service members and fetch ammo. While he was below deck, a second strike blew him back 100 feet and burned him across his body.

After making it onto one of the last lifeboats and finding his way to shore, Mr. Morris was told by a triage doctor at the Honolulu aid station that there was no way to save his life. The doctor ordered him wrapped in gauze to make him more comfortable, and urged him to prepare for death. The next morning, the astonished doctor found that Mr. Morris was in fact, very much alive – and ready to get back in the fight.

Mr. Morris spent two full months recovering from his injuries, motivated by his desire to fight for his country at a time it needed him. He made a remarkable recovery and immediately joined the crew of a destroyer, where he worked his way up to the rank of gunner’s mate, third class. After fighting honorably, eventually, skin damage caused by his burns required him to return home to his family farm.

“Extraordinary stories of courage from our military veterans are key threads in the rich fabric of our nation’s history,” Chris said.  “Mr. Morris’ story was touching and inspirational, and I am deeply honored to have had the opportunity to hear him describe that terrifying day aboard the USS California first-hand.  His lasting legacy of service and sacrifice will continue to inspire Americans for generations to come.”

The Delaware Veterans Home provides long-term care services to Delaware veterans and it is the only facility of its kind in the state.

Senator Coons thanks our veterans

Senator Chris Coons issued the following statement Sunday to mark Veterans Day.

“We set aside the eleventh day of the eleventh month each year to honor the courage and sacrifice necessary to serve our country in defense of its citizens, its freedoms, and its values. After more than a decade of war, it’s hard to imagine a more important time for Americans to show their appreciation for our service members and their families. We may never be able to fully repay our veterans for their service, but we can offer them our deepest gratitude and our ironclad commitment to ensuring they receive the health care, higher education, and other benefits they have earned, and by helping American employers to better appreciate the enormous value that veterans can bring to the civilian workforce.

“Our veterans have my deep respect, gratitude, and admiration, and this Veterans Day, I hope all Delawareans will make time to reflect on their own appreciation for our veterans and their sacrifice.”

Senator Coons recognizes Armed Forces Day

Senator Coons is joining Americans across the country in recognizing Saturday as Armed Forces Day.  This national commemoration serves as a thank you to all service members and their families who sacrifice so much for our nation.

“The men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our freedom are true heroes, and Armed Forces Day is one way to show them our gratitude for their service to our country,” Chris said.  “We also recognize the tremendous sacrifices of the families of our service members.  I will to continue to work hard in Washington on behalf of all service members and their families—it’s the least we can do for America’s heroes.”

Created in 1949 by the Department of Defense, Armed Forces Day combines previously separate Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard days. Armed Forces Day is not just dedicated to the men and women who serve in the military, but also to their families.  To show the appreciation of a grateful nation, all 397 national parks will be issuing free passes on Saturday for active troops and their children to enjoy relaxation, rejuvenation, and just plain fun. 

Chris will celebrate Armed Forces Day by attending the Newark Memorial Day Parade at the University of Delaware on Sunday. The event is dedicated to the United States Armed Forces and the Delawareans who have given their lives for freedom. A ceremony will be held on the University of Delaware’s Green at 1:00 pm, followed by a parade on Main Street.

New site connects veterans with employment

Nearly a year ago, Senator Coons stood outside the U.S. Capitol with Senators Patty Murray, Jon Tester, and Mark Begich to announce the introduction of the Hiring Heroes Act. The prospects for their legislation promoting employment for veterans seemed dark, since only ten bills had been signed by the President at the time, and only one of those was not naming a courthouse or a temporary extension to keep federal agencies running.

But the challenges facing veterans were worth fighting against, including high unemployment and a daunting transition to civilian life. Chris and his colleagues were committed to making progress, and with the help of veterans themselves, their bill garnered 40 bipartisan cosponsors. Eventually, the bill became the centerpiece of President Obama’s VOW to Hire Heroes Act, which was signed into law on November 21, 2011.

Last week, a tangible result of those efforts went live for service members and veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs launched a new website to guide veterans through job-related benefits available under the law. For service veterans, it includes an easy-to-read guide to the additional Vocational and Rehabilitation and Employment Benefits now available for service-connected disabled veterans, as well as the additional benefits under the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program to help veterans find work in high-demand jobs. For transitioning service members, it has a section on a number of newly or more widely available benefits for seamless transition from duty to civilian life. And for employers, it provides resources on how to access the tax credits and other incentives provided if they hire veterans.

There’s still a long way to go in fulfilling the commitment we made to our veterans, particularly in the area of processing their benefits claims. But we’ve already made progress from last May, and Chris is committed to making more in the year ahead.

Senator Coons and Wilmington U. to host job fair for local veterans

U.S. Senator Chris Coons and Wilmington University announced on Monday the details of Operation Success: Welcome Home — a job fair for veterans set for Saturday, April 21st from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Wilmington University in the auditorium of the Doberstein Admissions Center in New Castle.  The event will convene employers ready to hire talented men and women who have proven leadership and technical skills gained in their military service. Veterans are encouraged to register online at www.opsuccess.com. This is one of several job fairs Chris is hosting in the upcoming months to help Delawareans find jobs.

“The men and women who serve in our armed forces come home with unique skills and tested leadership experience, bringing immense value to the employers who hire them,” Chris said. “In talking with veterans, military leaders, business leaders, and government officials — as well as with business owners — it became clear that one of the best things we could do was simply to create opportunities for these employers to meet these talented Americans. I am pleased to partner with Wilmington University for Operation Success: Welcome Home to put our veterans in the same room with employers ready to help them return to the civilian workforce.”

Operation Success: Welcome Home attendees will have the opportunity to speak with federal and private sector organizations and companies that currently have positions available for veterans. The April 21st event will also provide veterans with other information on topics including: education benefits, support for military children, healthcare and mental health resources, family services, and spousal support and employment.

For more information on Operation Success: Welcome Home visit www.opsuccess.com.

In August 2011, Chris convened a panel of Delaware’s top experts on veterans to discuss ideas for boosting hiring.  In May 2011, Chris introduced the Hire America’s Heroes Act, which addressed many of the issues America’s veterans face as they re-enter the civilian workforce.

Click here to learn more about Chris’ work to support veterans.

Click here to learn more about the other Delaware job fairs Chris is hosting in the upcoming months. 

Senator Coons congratulates Dover AFB reserves on national award

This morning, Dover’s own 512th Airman and Family Readiness of the 512th Airlift Wing at Dover Air Force Base was honored with the 2011 Reserve Family Readiness Award for the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Every year, the award goes to the best unit in each reserve component that prepares airmen and their families for deployment, sustains them throughout, and supports them in their reintegration when they return. The award-winning 512th A&FR supports more than 1,800 airmen and their families connected to Dover Air Force Base, who are spread over 29 states.

The 512th A&FR’s director, Master Sergeant Laura Coseglia, accepted the award on behalf of her team from Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs David McGinnis at a ceremony held at the Pentagon. Senator Coons was presiding over the Senate at the time of the ceremony, but a member of his staff was present, as was wing commander Colonel Randal L. Bright.

Master Sgt. Coseglia’s team has earned best in the nation honors because of their community-based approach to support for airmen and their families. Rather than focus on a top-down, directive based approach to meeting the needs of men and women who serve, the 512th A&FR reaches out to our Delaware community, partnering with over 175 different military, non-profit, business, education, and veteran groups. In today’s austere environments, when needs seem to always outstrip resources, this broad community-based approach opens up creative possibilities for meeting needs.

Senator Coons believes that the community-based approach to serving needs in Delaware that the 512th A&FR does the best in the nation provides the flexibility and responsiveness that is too often lagging in support for our nation’s service members and veterans. He will join with Wilmington University on April 21 for Operation Success, a job fair and outreach event for service members, veterans, and their families, which is bolstered by the Delaware service members support community, including the 512th A&FR.

Video: In PSA, Chris encourages businesses to hire veterans

Chris unveiled a new public service announcement today, Veterans Day, on behalf of Delaware Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, which helps local businesses connect with and hire reservists and members of the National Guard.

"Members of the National Guard and Reserve bring a strong work ethic, leadership and specialized skills to the civilian workplace,” said Christine Kubik, Executive Director of Delaware Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. “Delaware ESGR stands ready to link service members with employers and career opportunities.  Hiring veterans is a smart way employers can show thanks.  Any Delaware employer interested in tapping into the talented pool of men and women in the Guard and Reserve should call our offices at (302) 326-7582 or email christine.kubik@us.army.mil."

The PSA is available at 30 seconds and 15 seconds, in video and audio, and can be downloaded here.