A Special Day for Gratitude Dear Friends, This summer I had the honor of meeting several wounded warriors at Ft. Eustis. It was at a program introduced to me by constituent and friend Chip Olenick, where wounded soldiers are temporarily assigned to undergo therapy, support, and transition services. As I spoke with these brave men and women, every one was kind, optimistic, and proud of their service. In spite of their circumstance, there was no hint of complaint or remorse for their decision to serve our nation; on the contrary, each appeared emboldened in their patriotism. I left that meeting with chills, reminded again of all that they and others in uniform sacrifice for this nation. Throughout our nation’s history, ordinary men and women have offered themselves as a line of defense against tyranny, evil, and oppression. A common bond that America’s first soldiers have with our present day defenders of freedom is that they, and every member of our Armed Forces in between, have sacrificed so much without ever meeting the vast majority of citizens they defend. They do it for love of country and for all that it stands. I left that day at Ft. Eustis knowing that my words were not sufficient to describe the gratitude felt for their service, but I was grateful for the opportunity nonetheless. Everyone has this opportunity and on this day, I am proud to join you in taking a moment in prayer and in person, to thank the men and women who have offered so much so that we can live free. To our troops, past and present, and to your families, thank you. And to those deployed throughout the world, know that our thoughts and prayers are with you. It is in your honor that we celebrate Veterans Day. Respectfully yours, 
Michael B. Watson Member, Virginia House of Delegates, 93rd District
|
No comments:
Post a Comment