Educators to Re-Elect Senator Mike Gronstal

Dear Friends,

Iowa is currently experiencing its largest deployment since World War II, with about 2,800 Iowa soldiers in Afghanistan alone. It’s a powerful reminder this Memorial Day that freedom comes at a cost.

Here in Iowa, we’ve become a national leader when in supporting our veterans, soldiers and their families. The Iowa Veterans Council called a recent legislative session the best for Iowa veterans and service members since the 1950s. And last year, Iowa became the first state to approve 10 measures that the U.S. Department of Defense says would do most to improve the quality-of-life for our military (www.usa4militaryfamilies.dod.mil/).

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This week we welcomed hundreds of veterans from across Iowa —including many from our area—to the Statehouse for the annual Veterans Day on the Hill.

They had a full schedule of activities, including a special ceremony in the rotunda honoring their service.

In addition to visiting with their legislators and with members of the Veterans Affairs Committee, the veterans met with Adjutant General Timothy Orr of the Iowa National Guard and Commandant David Worley of the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown.

Those who’ve answered the call to duty deserve not just our gratitude but our dedicated support. In recent years, the Legislature has successfully expanded benefits for our servicemembers and veterans. Last year, Iowa became the first state to pass the top ten U.S. Department of Defense recommendations to support our troops, their families and our veterans.

We recently saw the largest single overseas deployment of Iowa National Guard troops since World War II, as 3,500 men and women were sent to Afghanistan. As long as our troops are being put in harm’s way, we’ll continue exploring ways to support and honor their service.

Veterans Day is Thursday, November 11. I join all Iowans in thanking those who’ve served and defended our country.

Our veterans and servicemembers have made tremendous sacrifices—a powerful reminder that freedom comes at a cost. For that, they deserve our respect and appreciation.

Here in Iowa, our support for veterans, soldiers and their families has made our state a national leader.

The Iowa Veterans Council called a recent legislative session the best for Iowa veterans and servicemembers since the 1950s. And this year, Iowa became the first state to approve 10 measures that the U.S. Department of Defense says would do most to improve the quality-of-life for our military (www.usa4militaryfamilies.dod.mil/).

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