This past week, I had the privilege of visiting with local veterans from the Lynchburg area during their visit to Washington, where they toured the World War II, Korean, and Vietnam Veterans Memorials.
It is always wonderful to hear directly from our local veterans, and I am humbled by the opportunity represent these individuals who have given up so much in order to serve and protect us. While their stories are hard to tell, and often hard to hear, it is important that we listen to these stories and that we never forget the sacrifices of those who fought. These brave men and all of our veterans have left an enduring legacy – one of freedom, sacrifice, valor, and peacemaking. It is a legacy we will never forget, and we remain forever grateful for the service of all our veterans. I believe that it is important to honor the past and draw inspiration from it, and as a country we must continue to be guided by these lessons of history and by the sanctity of the American spirit.
Our servicemen and women and their families make tremendous sacrifices to protect the freedoms we hold so dear, and our nation is grateful for all they do for the cause of liberty. This week, we were once again reminded of these lessons, as nearly 450 National Guard soldiers from the Lynchburg-area are preparing to be deployed to serve overseas in Qatar. The battalion which will be deployed is made up of soldiers from local units in Lynchburg, Bedford, Lexington, and Christiansburg. These heroes among us renew our everlasting gratitude for those who preserve the innumerable blessings we often take for granted. We owe them steadfast support, strong and steady leadership, resources that protect them and enable them to win the fight, and the quality services they deserve when they return home.
With these commitments in mind, this week, the House of Representatives will be considering the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for this year. The NDAA is the principal vehicle for setting the nation’s defense and military policies – which include troop pay and benefits, the provision of resources, and the management of the Department of Defense – and it is an imperative piece of legislation to ensure our men and women in uniform are provided every means necessary to carry out their missions. We already ask a great deal of our military personnel, but we cannot ask them to put their lives at risk without allowing them the proper resources. I look forward to considering this legislation this week and, as always, let us keep our military and their families in our thoughts and prayers, as they are truly our keepers of peace and liberty. I remain steadfast in my pledge to support our veterans and active service members in a way befitting of the immense commitment they make to our great nation.
If you need any additional information or if we may be of assistance to you, please visit my website at hurt.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-4711, Charlottesville office: (434) 973-9631, Danville office: (434) 791-2596, or Farmville office: (434) 395-0120.
Robert Hurt represents the Fifth District of Virginia in Congress.
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