Weekly Update: Today, We Honor our Veterans By Congressman Rob Wittman November 11, 2018
Since the dawn of our nation, our Armed Forces have stood up and fought for our freedom; we sleep soundly because of their bravery. Our veterans made great sacrifices for us on the battlefield and we owe them a debt of gratitude for that service. Nearly 800,000 call Virginia home, and I am committed to ensuring our veterans can access the benefits they've earned through their service to a grateful nation. We stop today and give pause on Veterans Day to honor those who have answered our nation’s call to arms.
This Veterans Day we remember the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, or the armistice from the first Great War of the last century— November 11th. The cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918. The name was changed to Veterans Day in 1954 to recognize all who have served our great nation.
The First District is home to one of the highest growing veterans populations but also plays an important role in the future of our military as well, with many of our nation’s finest warriors stationed at places like Fort A.P. Hill, Marine Corps Base Quantico and NSWC Dahlgren. Over the years, I’ve been blessed to get to know many of those men and women, and they are a constant inspiration. Their support for this Nation is steadfast, their determination to see a mission through is unwavering, and their integrity and selflessness are unflinching.
This weekend I got to spend time with some of our nation’s heroes. Yesterday, I attended the Veterans Day Ceremony at the A.T. Johnson Museum in Montross to honor World War I and World War II veterans and today, I spent the morning at the Fredericksburg Area Veterans Council’s Veterans Day Ceremony to honor all who have served our country. Without the efforts of these dedicated souls we would not be the Nation that we are today.
We remember all who have served this Nation. Grandfathers who stormed the beaches at Normandy, uncles who fought through torrential rains in Korea, cousins who braved the jungles of Vietnam, and of course the sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and husbands and wives who have served or are currently serving our Nation.
This Congress, the House has made landmark changes for these heroes. America’s veterans deserve the highest quality medical care and most efficient delivery of benefits possible. The VA MISSION Act consolidated the VA’s multiple community care programs and authorities and provides further funding to sustain the Choice Program so veterans can get the care they earned and deserve. The House has also passed the Forever GI Bill - Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act to enhance or expand education benefits for veterans, service members, families and survivors, and the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act to expand VA benefits to approximately 90,000 sailors who served off the coast during the Vietnam War.
I hope you take the time this Veterans Day to speak with some veterans and learn more about their service. America is who she is today because of them. I would like to thank all of you who have served our Nation, for what you have done, and what you continue to do.
