Statement by Honorable Addie J. Russell, Chair of the
Subcommittee on Women Veterans
This Friday, November 11, 2011 we come together as a nation and state to thank our military veterans for their service and let them know that their sacrifices will never be taken for granted. We currently have troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, in addition to tens of thousands more stationed worldwide. Every day, these men and women make tremendous sacrifices serving our country.
New York State is home to over one million veterans including about 68,000 women veterans. They are our grandparents, parents, sons and daughters, aunts and uncles, cousins, co-workers, friends and neighbors, ordinary citizens who have served in extraordinary ways to preserve our freedoms and liberties.
It is our duty as citizens, not just elected officials, to remember the service of our veterans, their sacrifices and their commitment to America and its citizens.
We should begin by thanking them for their service and honor them by adopting legislative measures that are meaningful so that they can make a successful transition from being a member of the armed forces to being a civilian once again.
I will be attending several Veterans Day ceremonies. On Thursday I will be at ceremonies at Fort Drum and on Friday I will be attending ceremonies in Clayton and Alexandria Bay.
Next week I will also be hosting a conversation with women veterans. As Chair of the Assembly Subcommittee on Women Veterans issues, I want to hear about some of the issues and circumstances that face our woman veterans in New York State. That event will be on Wednesday November 16th at 10:00 here at the Dulles State Office building on the 11th floor. I encourage and invite any woman veteran to attend this special event.
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