Honoring America's Fallen Heroes

This is Congresswoman Nellie Pou writing to you about our recent ceremony honoring America’s fallen heroes.

This weekend I participated in the opening ceremony for the Veterans and Athletes United Fallen Heroes Memorial. The Memorial is a traveling tribute honoring service members who gave their lives in the War on Terrorism and honoring Gold Star families. It has visited over 200 locations across America.

Just this month, we marked 24 years since the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. We lost 750 people from our state. With each year that passes, it never gets easier.

In the weeks, months, and years after September 11, countless members of our armed services fought selflessly in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. Over 7,000 gave their lives for the cause of freedom against terror.

Preserving liberty requires constant work. The flame of freedom can be extinguished at any time. The men and women we celebrated are the keepers of that flame of freedom.

Our democracy has survived these 249 years because of the sacrifices of our military heroes. America has endured because countless men and women, most in the primes of their life, gave up their lives for our country. Men and women like our fallen heroes from the War on Terror.

Of course, celebrating the sacrifice of our fallen heroes is not enough. It means, in the words of President Lincoln, caring “for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.”

So we must fully fund the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to make sure every veteran gets the care and support he or she needs – and earned.

In Congress, you have my word: I will continue to oppose any harsh cuts to VA staff or services. I will fight to protect and expand survivors’ benefits. Because rhetoric alone is insufficient. Each of us must support our veterans in word and in deed.

Commemoratives like the Fallen Heroes Memorial like this are essential so that none of us can or will ever forget their sacrifice. We are all here because of them.

Thank you to all the Gold Star families in our communities and across America.

Le escribo para compartir información sobre nuestra reciente ceremonia en honor a los héroes caídos de Estados Unidos.

Este fin de semana participé en la ceremonia de apertura del Memorial Itinerante de Héroes Caídos de Veterans and Athletes United, un tributo que honra a los miembros del servicio que perdieron la vida en la Guerra contra el Terrorismo y a las familias Gold Star. Este memorial ha visitado más de 200 localidades en todo el país.

Este mes se cumplieron 24 años de los ataques terroristas del 11 de septiembre de 2001. Solo en nuestro estado perdimos a 750 personas. Con el paso del tiempo, el dolor nunca desaparece.

En los años posteriores, miles de hombres y mujeres de nuestras Fuerzas Armadas sirvieron con valentía en Afganistán, Irak y otros lugares. Más de 7,000 dieron su vida por la libertad.

Preservar la libertad requiere un esfuerzo constante. Los hombres y mujeres que hoy honramos son los guardianes de esa llama.

Pero honrar su sacrificio exige más que palabras. Significa, en palabras del presidente Lincoln, cuidar “de aquel que haya soportado la batalla, y de su viuda y su huérfano”.

Por ello, debemos financiar plenamente al Departamento de Asuntos de los Veteranos y proteger los beneficios para sobrevivientes. En el Congreso, tiene mi palabra: me opondré a cualquier recorte injusto y lucharé para apoyar a nuestros veteranos con hechos, no solo con palabras.

Gracias a todas las familias Gold Star de nuestras comunidades y de todo Estados Unidos. Nunca olvidaremos su sacrificio.