An Unshakeable Commitment to the Veterans of our Nation

By Pam Gulleson
Contributing Writer

At 11:11 a.m. on November 11, 1918, the guns fell silent on the “Western Front,” and World War I, the war that had been called “The Great War” and “The War to End War,” was over. More than 2 million American soldiers served in France during the fierce fighting that broke the German Army’s will to continue the war. This year, at 11:11 a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month of the 11th year of the 21st Century, for the first time since 1918, there will be no American Veteran of the vast American Army that won the war in France to observe the anniversary of the end of that conflict. The last American veteran of World War I passed away earlier this year, joining ranks with the millions of his comrades who now exist only in memory and history.

That generation had served their country in peace, as well as in war. They were builders as well as warriors. Among the structures for which they laid the foundations and commenced construction were the Veterans Administration and the Veterans Healthcare system, intended to fulfill the Nation’s promises to those who had answered the call of duty and borne the burdens of battle. The foundations laid by the veterans of World War I were expanded and strengthened a generation later, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed, and Congress adopted, the GI Bill of Rights of 1944, providing healthcare and disability benefits for returning veterans of World War II and, as important, educational benefits that gave America a generation of skilled workers, teachers, administrators and executives who led this nation to a half century of unprecedented progress and prosperity.

Veterans Day, we should remember, is not a day to honor America’s dead, but a day to honor the living. It is a day set aside to honor those who have dedicated a portion of their lives to service in our nation’s military, and have gone on to continue their service to community, State and Nation as productive citizens.

Today, more than 20 million of our fellow Americans are military veterans. Two million of those are veterans of the current military missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. The foundations laid, and the institutions built, by them and their predecessors continue to deliver on America’s promises to those who go in harm’s way for their country. Three years ago, the Congress adopted the GI Bill Of Rights, the most comprehensive package of rights and benefits for America’s military veterans since the original GI Bill of Rights of 1944, containing educational incentives as well as medical, disability and rehabilitation benefits for veterans.

There are those in Congress today who would renege on America’s commitment to veterans. The recent budget proposal put forward by Congressman Ryan of Wisconsin, and supported by Congressman Berg of North Dakota, would have slashed billions from the Veterans Administration, in part by making some veterans ineligible for the assistance promised to them by us, their fellow citizens. I can assure you that as a candidate for Congress, I will never waiver in my commitment to those who have borne the battle and to their families. As they have put everything, their lives and their futures, on the line for us, so should we continue our commitment to them. The soldier wounded by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan did not ask, “How many limbs have been budgeted for this mission?” before crossing into enemy territory, and the child whose parent was killed in action did not have the luxury of asking, “Can I afford this cost?” before saying their final farewell to a mother or father who will never return.

As Americans, our commitment to this nation’s veterans must be as unquestionable, as unshakeable, as unswerving as their courage in battle. We must continue to build on the foundations laid by those who forced the guns to fall silent on November 11, 1918, so that we might hear the blessed song of peace. So, on this Veterans Day, November 11, 2011, let us commit ourselves to continue the work they have begun, to build a nation that honors the sacrifice and service of those who have worn the uniform of our military services. To America’s veterans on this Veterans Day I say, “Thank you for your service, and welcome home!” Together, we will continue to build a better, stronger America.

Editor’s Note—Pam Gulleson is a Candidate for U. S. House of Representatives.  She is a life-long resident of North Dakota and graduate of NDSU. Pam and her husband Bill live in Rutland, ND, where they farm and ranch with their three sons. A longtime interest in public service led Pam to run for the ND House of Representatives, where she served from 1992-2008. Pam was a longtime member of the House Appropriations Committee, where she was a strong advocate for ND veterans and their families. One of her proudest moments in the Legislature was securing funding for major improvements to the ND Veterans Home in Lisbon