[1]Mandela Barnes for Wisconsin

Friends -

Today is Veterans Day, a day when we pause as a country to honor those who wore the uniform of the United States of America. Our nation’s veterans deserve our gratitude. For the freedom and security they have given us, this day is set aside to offer them that thank you.

Veterans Day always makes me think of my grandfather, who worked for years at A.O. Smith as a steelworker. As he walked to the factory in his blue shirt and brown work pants, you couldn’t tell he’d once worn the uniform of this great country.

Think about all the people you pass by on the street every day — the elderly woman ahead of you in line for a cup of coffee, the young man behind you at the grocery store. Veterans are everywhere — everyday heroes who were willing to put it all on the line for our country like my grandfather.

Over seventy years ago, my grandfather served in the Navy and wore that same uniform. Like so many Wisconsinites, he wore the uniform proudly, because he knew that serving his country was a sacred calling.

After his service, he came home to Wisconsin and got a job as a steelworker. He found opportunity here in Wisconsin — the opportunity to work hard, to earn a good wage, to join a strong union, and to raise a family.

I’m so glad I was able to spend time with my grandfather when I was a boy. He taught me so many of the values that he learned in service to our country that motivate me today: to work hard, to give back, and to never forget where you came from.

But today, too many veterans are feeling left behind by a country that too often has said the words “thank you” but doesn’t follow up with actions. Too many veterans are in need of a good job or health care. We have to invest in workforce training programs that help veterans transfer military skills to civilian life, and encourage businesses to make the good decision to hire a vet. We have to prioritize mental health services for veterans, and make sure that no need is left unattended.

So on Veterans Day, we honor our veterans, but we have to do more. We have to rededicate ourselves to building a state and a nation where the doors of opportunity are wide open for those who have served our country. Every veteran — and every person — deserves a pathway to a middle class life in this country — that’s our mission.

- Mandela
 


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