United States Senator
Dear friends,
On Veterans Day, we are united as Texans, as Americans, and as those indebted to the fine men and women who have served this nation for generations with bravery, selflessness and honor. These include every American who has worn the uniform - from the battles of Lexington and Concord, to the beaches of Normandy, to the rocky and treacherous terrain of Afghanistan and throughout every turning point in our nation's history.
I am honored to represent 1.7 million Texas veterans, and I am humbled every time I have the opportunity to meet these heroes and their family members. Just recently, I had the honor of greeting a number of Texas troops returning to Fort Bliss in El Paso from a tour in Afghanistan. Last year on Veterans Day, I attended the National Museum of the Pacific War's annual ceremony and had the unique privilege of meeting U.S. Navy veteran Sam Sorenson - born in 1916. I recently greeted West Texas veterans of World War II and the Korean War who traveled to Washington, D.C. with the Texas Panhandle Honor Flight to visit their memorials. As the son of a World War II B-17 pilot, the chance to meet fellow members of my father's Greatest Generation is especially moving for me.
From our youngest generation of veterans, I've been humbled to visit with many wounded warriors who have sacrificed so much at such a young age on our behalf. I'm thankful we have some of the nation's premier medical facilities in Texas, including Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, which provide these warriors and their families with second-to-none care as they recover from their injuries and return to duty or else transition back to civilian life. In Washington, I've visited with several wounded warriors from Texas who are recovering from Bethesda Naval Medical Center.
Perhaps nothing is more sobering than visiting with the children of our fallen service members. I've been proud to present many of these young Texans with the Gold medal of Remembrance, created by Congress to to recognize and honor children who have lost a parent in Operations Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom. These children of veterans represent the many sacrifices that are made not only on the front lines of war, but also on the home front.
While we can never repay our veterans or their families in full, this Veterans Day I hope we are each reminded to value the freedoms and way of life these brave Americans fought to secure. And I hope we can show our gratitude and support to our veterans and the greater military community not just on Veterans Day but on every day of the year.
May God bless you all and may God bless America.
Sincerely,
United States Senator
This letter was provided by Senator Cornyn's office, who asked that it might be read at various Veterans Day activities taking place on the Midland College campus.
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