Veterans & Armed Forces
Keeping Our Promises to Our Veterans and Supporting Our Armed Forces
In order to best secure our national interests and promote the safety and security of the American people, as well as our friends in the international community, it is vitally important that we ensure our armed forces remain the best-trained and best-equipped in the world.
A strong military is in the interest of the nation as a whole, as well as our region. The Rock Island Arsenal in the Quad-Cities, the Air National Guard unit based outside Peoria, and major aerospace companies in Rockford employ many thousands across our district. I will work to ensure our vital military assets are enhanced and protected to meet the challenges of the future.
Veterans and service members have bravely served their country, at a real sacrifice to themselves and their families. They deserve to be provided with the best possible care and help as they return from battlefields overseas. I support fully funding veterans’ health care benefits and to provide state-of-the-art care for traumatic brain injuries and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I will work to make sure the Veterans Administration system is easy to navigate and provides veterans with the needed benefits they earned and deserve. In addition, I support providing returning service members with job training, college opportunities, and financial planning in order to help those transitioning back into our communities and the workforce.
Veterans History Project
I believe we owe an enormous debt to our men and women in uniform. A great way to show our gratitude is to encourage them to share their memories and experiences. This is why my office is participating in the Veterans History Project (VHP). The VHP allows veterans and their families to record their stories and preserve them for future generations. These recordings are entered into the permanent collection in the Library of Congress, where they will serve as a permanent reminder of the sacrifices these men and women made defending our country.
More on Veterans & Armed Forces
DIXON – When Ashley DeArmitt left the Navy in 2012, she was nervous about transitioning into the real world.
"When I first wanted to get into the nursing program, I didn't know anything about benefits or anything," said DeArmitt, a second-year student at Sauk Valley Community College.
DeArmitt, 25, spent 4 years in the Navy as a quartermaster.
When she found out about the veteran services program at Sauk, she said her mind was put at ease.