Honoring our servicemembers

103 years ago, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, an armistice between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect and ended “the war to end all wars.”

Now, we honor that day, the 116,516 American military personnel who lost their lives in that war, and every veteran who has served on behalf of our nation. On Veterans Day and every day, we say thank you.

The state of Washington is home to over 520,000 veterans, and those of us in Washington’s Fourth Congressional District are proud to have 39,595 of these veterans and their families as our neighbors. Our communities are eternally grateful, and we have no doubt that our freedoms have been made secure through the sacrifices of these brave men and women. As the representative for Central Washington’s veterans in Congress, it is my responsibility to ensure that the federal government upholds its commitment to providing our servicemembers with the respect and care that they have earned.

I have had many opportunities to sit down with local veterans and have listened to the concerns they have. Last year, my office assisted nearly 100 veterans with claims to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DOD), assisting in the retrieval of lost service records, earned war medals, and more – resulting in them receiving over $150,000 in combined benefits and paid medical bills. It is my honor to provide this small service for those who sacrificed so much.

Later this month, I’ll be hosting some events specifically for veterans, so I can hear directly from these men and women about the issues they may be facing and offer support in any way I can.

First, on Friday, Nov. 19 at 5 p.m. at the Richland Federal Building, I’ll be hosting a Veterans Listening Session with special guest Congressman Mike Bost, Republican Leader of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Congressman Bost and I will hear directly from attendees about the challenges facing our region’s veterans and take what we learn back to the nation’s capital. We will also be joined by representatives from the VA who can answer questions from veterans in attendance and their families.

Additionally, I’ll be hosting my annual Veterans Service Fair at the Yakima Convention Center on Saturday Nov. 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The fair will feature organizations offering assistance with VA and healthcare benefits, counseling, employment opportunities, and more. There will also be a Vietnam Veterans Pinning Ceremony, where I have the privilege of honoring Vietnam-era veterans with a service lapel pin and certificate of special congressional recognition.

Addressing our veterans’ needs and concerns is one of my highest priorities in Congress. I am committed to hearing directly from veterans in my community, holding the federal government accountable when it comes to providing earned benefits for our heroes, implementing much-needed reforms to increase access to care and improve the quality of benefits, and ensuring that each and every veteran is treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.

Thank you to all veterans and military families who have sacrificed so much in the name of our nation’s freedom and continue to do so every day. We are forever indebted to your service.

For more information about the upcoming veterans’ events, please visit my website at www Newhouse.house.gov/veterans2021. If you or a loved one is a veteran who needs assistance with the Department of Veterans Affairs, please do not hesitate to contact my Yakima office at (509) 452-3243 or Richland office at (509) 713-7374.