Sen. Murkowski Issues Veterans Day Message
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In observance of the Veterans Day holiday, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, issued the following statement:
“In Alaska we have the distinct pleasure and honor of having the largest per capita percentage of veterans of any state in the Union. We call them our neighbors, our co-workers, and our friends. Our communities benefit from the experience and expertise which they’ve brought home with them from their time in the service of our Nation.
“As we reflect on the service of heroes who have served our country in conflicts past, we would be remiss if we didn’t also pause to honor the dedication of the men and women who are putting their lives on the line today to protect our freedom.
“Today, we also mourn those veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of freedom. This year, Alaska lost several members of our military community in the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts. I extend my heartfelt sympathy to the families of our fallen service members. We also pause this Veterans Day to honor those killed at Fort Hood. To have such an incident occur at a military base on American soil is especially heartbreaking
“Finally, I would like to recognize a group that often isn’t honored enough; the families and loved ones of America’s veterans. These are the folks that have had to see their loved ones sent away to war zones and who worry about their well being every day until they return. The family members of our veterans deserve our recognition.
“While we know that words cannot express the gratitude that a grateful nation has for its veterans, with a common voice we say ‘thank you.’”
# # #
