Every Veteran’s Story Deserves To Be Told

November 3, 2006, Veterans Day is a time for our nation to come together to remember and honor the millions of brave men and women who have served our country. Each of our nation’s 24 million veterans has a unique story of service. Through initiatives like the Veterans History Project, we can ensure that those stories of bravery, perseverance and camaraderie are preserved for future generations.

Since it was created by Congress six years ago, the Veterans History Project has aimed to honor veterans by preserving their stories at the Library of Congress. The oral histories, photographs, diaries, letters and other original materials from our nation’s veterans are being collected so that future generations can learn the stories of veterans from World War I to the present wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Civilians who were actively involved in the war efforts also are invited to share their stories of support for our military.

Once the stories and artifacts are submitted to the Library of Congress, they become part of our nation’s history. Researchers can access the material in person at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and it becomes available online at the library’s Web site.

Veterans are invited to contact the Library of Congress to obtain a free instructional kit for participating in the project. Members of the public also are invited to obtain a kit and interview veterans in their family or community. Anyone interested in participating should contact the Library of Congress by visiting www.loc.gov/vets or calling the project toll-free at (888) 371-5848.

Without the valiant service and sacrifice of our military members and their families, America would not stand as a beacon of hope, opportunity and freedom around the world. We can show our respect to American veterans by listening to their stories and honoring the commitments made to them.

This nation promised to provide care for our veterans in exchange for their brave service to the nation. Unfortunately, we have not always honored that promise in recent years. That’s why I’m a co-sponsor of the Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act, which would make veterans’ health care funding mandatory, adjust it for inflation and base it on the number of veterans enrolled in the system.

Currently, veterans’ health care has to compete for funding each year with other priorities in the budget. By taking veterans’ health care out of the annual appropriations process, the bill would ensure that VA hospitals have the resources they need to serve veterans. This would focus VA health care on honoring the promises our country has made to its veterans, which is where the VA’s focus should be.

At 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918, World War I officially ended and a tradition began of honoring the men and women who have sacrificed so much to serve our nation. This Veterans Day, we must take the opportunity to renew and reaffirm our commitment to every veteran in America.