Maine Legislature
Senate Democratic Office
May 25, 2012
Contact: Ericka Dodge [Hobbins], 232-5892 (m)
DEMOCRATIC RADIO ADDRESS
Memorial Day is a time to honor our heroes and renew our commitment to Veterans
Good
Morning. This is Senate Democratic Leader Barry Hobbins of Saco.
Memorial Day weekend is a time of remembrance for
those who have died in service of our nation and to honor those men and women
in service right now.
You know, it is easy, in the fast-paced world of
today, to forget about our past and our history.
It is also easy to take for granted our freedom
and rights that make the United States of America such a great nation.
On this Memorial Day weekend, we must take time
to remember.
We must remember
the men and women who have served and given the ultimate sacrifice to this
community, to this state, and to this country.
We must remember
the families of veterans who have also sacrificed.
It is a day of
recognition.
Recognition of a
job well done.
Recognition of
the true meaning of service.
Recognition of
the ultimate sacrifice.
And we recognize
that no holiday, no memorial, no parade, no matter how grand and heart felt,
can truly provide the level of thanks we owe to the United States Armed
Services.
This weekend, I
will have the opportunity and privilege to attend a number of Memorial Day
events. And, anytime I am in the presence of someone who has served our
country, I am truly humbled. Talking with men and women who have given up so
much on behalf of others is a special experience.
Only a soldier
can tell you what it is actually like to march across a continent, what a
weapon feels like when fired, and what it means to put your life on the line
for your country.
Understanding
that we can never appropriately thank our service men and women does not mean
we shouldn’t make every effort to do so.
It's time to honor our nation's heroes and renew our commitment to
serving those who have worn the uniform of our country as well as they have
served us.
In the four years under
President Obama's leadership, support for our veterans has never been greater.
We've expanded the GI Bill, created the Veterans
Jobs Corps, increased incentives to hire and train veterans and military
spouses, and made record-breaking investments in the VA.
Here in
Maine, the state legislature also made strides to improve the daily lives of
our veterans. For example, we established a Veterans’ Treatment Court with specially
trained advocates to make sure that any special circumstances facing a veteran,
such as PTSD, are understood, and taken into account. We also passed a bill to connect veterans with the services and
benefits they are entitled to due to their military service.
We all
understand that often times veterans face unique challenges returning to a
civilian job. To help with this transition, we passed a couple of measures that
may make it easier for returning veterans to get professional licenses based on
the training they received in the military.
At the
same time, this is not enough. We must continue our commitment to do
more—especially when it comes to getting our veterans back work.
This weekend, we will gather to honor the service
and sacrifice of the men and woman who so bravely gave their lives in the
defense of our freedom. We will rightly offer our thanks and show our
appreciation of those who fought in wars, who fought to protect freedom both as
an entitlement to every human and the highest ideal of our Democracy.
This is Senate Democratic Leader, Barry Hobbins
of Saco. Thank you for tuning in. God Bless.
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