President Barack Obama has taken the final major step in bringing our brave soldiers home from Afghanistan, and this is an exciting moment for military families across America. The President's signing of the Strategic Partnership Agreement should remind us that our troops took on tremendous risk serving their country, and now deserve our deepest admiration and support as they reintegrate into the society they fought so hard to protect.
As our soldiers in Afghanistan join their veteran brothers and sisters back home, we should honor them by ensuring that all veterans receive the essential support they need to transition into civilian life. We must work to maximize healthcare benefits for them, many of whom face serious mental and physical health problems. We also need to provide job training for veterans so they can join the workforce at a level that matches their exceptional capabilities. I am proud to have authored H.R. 2046 - Mandatory Transition Assistance Act, which requires returning soldiers to receive training in job acquisition skills such as resume preparation, interview techniques, and salary negotiations. The bill also assigns all military personnel a counselor or case worker to provide one-on-one service.
There is no deeper source of talented, hardworking, dedicated personnel than returning soldiers. Any company or organization would be lucky to have these men and women in their ranks. Who understands teamwork better than the Marine who daily entrusts his life to his enlisted brothers and sisters? Who is more dedicated than the cadet who drifts off to sleep studying every night and rises at dusk to Reveille? And who learns faster than the Navy pilot who commands at 1500 miles per hour the most advanced aircraft in the world?
As a veteran of the Korean War, I understand the plight of our soldiers and am committed to ensuring that our veterans are provided the care and opportunity that they so desperately deserve and have earned. I consider the G.I. bill following my service in the Korean War to be a turning point in my life. It was the G.I. Bill which transformed me from a high school dropout into a law school graduate. As such, I am committed to giving the brave servicemen and women of today the same opportunity I had to make a change. I firmly believe adequate healthcare for our veterans are not privileges but sacred rights we must honor.
Our troops have my unwavering support as they return home and begin contributing our nation's recovering economy.
Netroots For The Troops
Netroots For The Troops® is raising funds to send Care Packages to our soldiers stationed overseas.
You can donate here and then TexDem will use this money to buy the thank you gifts to be assembled by volunteers at Netroots Nation next month.
Over the years, many soldiers have sent letters to express their appreciation for these Care Packages and even posted thanks at Daily Kos:
It was in the middle six months of my assignment in Afghanistan that the packages started arriving. I received an array of things from them… letters, candy, toothpaste, floss, baby wipes, razors, food, socks, books, dvd’s. The list could go on and on. It was amazing. Netroots for the Troops was always there... The packages were a reminder that our country knows about our fight. Every day, because of their support, I knew that if it was going to be my last day, I would be remembered and I would be honored.
Please make a donation HERE. Thank you from the entire 2012 NFTT Team.
Netroots For The Troops®_ is a project of Netroots for the Troops, Inc., a Virginia non-profit corporation. The organization raises money for the assembly, mailing and delivery of Care Packages to American military in war zones and to provide assistance to military families in the United States. Netroots For The Troops, Inc. is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.
|
|