Recognized on November 11 each year, Veterans Day honors all those who have served our country in war or peace.  It is a day to thank the veterans in our lives for their sacrifices.  Initially dubbed Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, signaled Congress’ official recognition of the end of World War I.  Veterans have put their lives on the line for their country, communities, fellow servicemembers and fellow Americans.  They have given much for us to receive much.  One of the fundamental ways to respect veterans’ dedication is by providing full support for their service, not only while deployed, but also when they return home.  Many reforms have been enacted in the last year, but my work to honor the service of those in uniform continues.

Tomorrow, I’ll release an Op-Ed calling our nation to honor veterans beyond Veterans Day by supporting their service beyond their deployment.  In the column, which you can access HERE tomorrow, I’ll highlight Congress’s recent actions on legislation to improve veterans services.

Click the image above to view Senator Crapo's Veterans Day message.

Bring Our Heroes Home

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) lists 359 Idahoans as still missing or unaccounted for during their service in the United States Armed Forces.  Our country cannot waver on efforts to bring home America’s missing servicemembers, so I introduced legislation, with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire), to provide for an expedited and consolidated process for declassifying and collecting records of POW and MIA personnel.  We owe it to the families and survivors of the brave women and men in uniform to bring home their loved ones who sacrificed so much for our country.  Over 82,000 Americans still remain missing, and their families deserve some sense of resolution to the lingering questions that still fill their lives.  Piecing together the circumstances, whereabouts and lives of those lost cannot be easy, but bringing them home is critical to honoring their service.  The Bring Our Heroes Home Act will prioritize and facilitate the declassification of records related to missing servicemembers, and aid in bringing them all home.”

The Bring Our Heroes Home Act, would consolidate all records related to missing personnel within a newly instituted Missing Armed Forces Personnel Records Collection at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and require all government agencies to transmit any records in their possession pertaining to missing servicemembers to NARA.  The measure would also establish an independent government office, the Missing Armed Forces Personnel Records Review Board, to identify missing personnel records, facilitate the transmission and disclosure of these records, and review any decisions by federal agencies to postpone declassification.

Raising Concerns of Alarming Increase in National Guard Suicide Rate

According to the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Annual Suicide Report for Calendar Year 2018, suicide rates in the National Guard have surpassed those within the Active components.  The suicide rate for members of the National Guard in 2018 was 30.6 suicides per 100,000 population, compared to 24.8 suicides per 100,000 population in the Active component, and 22.9 suicides per population in the Reserves.

This increase in the suicide rate for members of the National Guard is alarming.  At an August roundtable discussion at the Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center, I heard directly from those working with struggling servicemembers and veterans that this remains a concern among Idahoans.  I re-committed to furthering efforts to ensure National Guardsmen and women receive adequate mental health treatment for their service.

In October, I joined a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues in sending a letter to the DOD expressing our concerns with the high rate of suicide within the National Guard.  We emphasized the unique position of National Guard servicemembers as both soldiers and civilians that necessitates tailored solutions for accessing mental health care and community-based support.  We requested a brief from the DOD no later than December 2019 that highlights any gaps that remain across DOD, branch-level or interagency suicide prevention programs for the National Guard.  Additionally, we requested further analysis of any explanatory factors contributing to differences in suicide rates between the Active and Reserve Component and the National Guard.   We must ensure the National Guard has the care and community comparable to the Active components.

Launch of #MilitaryMonday

Starting tomorrow, I will begin a monthly social media feature in which I will honor an Idahoan who has served our country in uniform and who exemplifies the strong values of the United States Armed Forces.  On the second Monday of each month, I will feature an Idaho veteran, active duty military or member of the National Guard or Reserves.  These men and women help make our nation strong and safe, and recognizing and honoring them is only one way to express to them how much they are valued.  Make sure to check out my social media platforms below to see the first #MilitaryMonday recipient.   Thank you to all those who continue to serve and those who served this great nation.

Coming Up:

Last Thursday, staff in my office began a series of state-wide presentations to veterans and volunteers with the 2019 Spirit of Freedom: Idaho Veterans Service Award.  The award is a small way to recognize and acknowledge the contributions of Idaho’s veterans and volunteers who support Idaho veterans.  The Spirit of Freedom Award recognizes veterans and volunteers who set an example of leadership and service in our communities and across our state.  To see information about this year’s recipients, as well as information about presentations taking place tomorrow, visit my website by clicking here.

Beverly McLendon (Left), a 2019 Spirit of Freedom Award recipient, with Kathryn Hitch (Right), Senator Crapo Regional Director for the Idaho Falls region.