Dear John,

Our veterans’ service is a testimony to the power of selflessness and dedication to standing for a cause bigger than oneself. That lesson couldn’t be more important today, or exemplified better than in the life of Robert Maxwell. I met Mr. Maxwell when I served as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, and now am honored to have helped pass legislation in the U.S. Senate -- which was signed into law last month -- to rename Bend’s VA clinic after him.

In World War II, Mr. Maxwell served with distinction and was awarded a Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, Silver Star with Oakleaf Cluster. He was also recipient of the nation’s highest military award, the Congressional Medal of Honor, after he put his own life on the line to shield his fellow soldiers from an enemy grenade, saving their lives.

Mr. Maxwell's Medal of Honor

After the war, he moved to Oregon and continued to serve his community by teaching auto mechanics at Bend Senior High School, Central Oregon College, and Lane County Community College. His service even continued into his retirement, when he established the Character Development Program at Bend Senior High School, and also served as the Director of Bend Heroes Foundation, where he helped his fellow veterans and established the Bend Heroes Memorial, the World War II Veterans Historic Highway, the Oregon Medal of Honor Highway, and the Bend Parade of Flags.

While we will never be able to fully thank Mr. Maxwell for his service to our nation both on and off the battlefield, my hope is that the renaming of Bend’s VA clinic in his honor will help ensure that his legacy will be remembered. I know that his courageous and generous spirit will continue to inspire Oregonians for generations to come.

All my best,
Jeff