The following is the text of a speech I am humbled to deliver to a large group of our Disabled American Veterans tonight at Russell Barnett Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge in Winchester, TN.  at 6pm.

Good evening.  Welcome Veterans, families of Veterans and those concerned members of our community.  Thank you all for coming.  Thank you, Mr. Barnett for the hospitality you offered that has enabled this fellowship.  Thank you for allowing me the privilege to address you on the most hallowed issue of our Disabled American Veterans.

 

President Kennedy stated “as we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live them.”

 

President Kennedy was a Veteran and absolutely right-especially in caring for those who sacrificed years of their lives in the cause of American liberty!

 

Your presence here tonight means you have taken a stand on the side of meaning and action.  You have stepped forward to show that you fully understand that your freedom is not free, but rather that it was purchased by us all at a terrible price.

 

Some of us have paid that price ourselves.  We paid it by putting on the uniform of our nation’s armed forces and giving up years of our lives in pursuit of our nation’s defining principles.

 

We did not complain….we simply answered the call and offered ourselves for duty….in our minds there could be no other option.  We do not regret our decisions.

 

Some of us may have served stateside, but we would have gone into combat at a word….once again we can fathom no other option.

 

Some of you confronted the beast of war face to face.  Some of our friends and family members will not come home.

 

We did our duty my brothers and sisters, and I salute you.  Tonight is a night for you.  The honors and tributes of this moment are yours.

 

Some of you continue to give, both physically and emotionally.  You returned from service disabled.  The cost of service is written in your scars and nightmares.  You will never be like most other Americans, but you are the best Americans.

 

Your wars will go on until the day you die.  As a veteran myself, I realize that the impact of your military service is with you always.  You go to bed with it at night wake up with it in the morning and carry it with you throughout the day.  It has made us all better fathers, mothers, friends and citizens.

 

For your sacrifice you deserve the permanent appreciation of a grateful nation.

 

Also with us tonight are members of veterans’ families.  We love you.  We appreciate you.  We know that sometimes the call of duty comes back to haunt a veteran.  We veterans understand and appreciate the burden you also carry.

 

I also offer my deep appreciation to those who are not veterans themselves, or members of veterans’ families-to you who came here only to show your appreciation for those who served our nation.  We need you to keep it up, and bring some friends next time.

 

Politicians too often say of Veteran’s needs, “Honestly, I would have loved to have funded it, but there were just so many priorities.”  This is thoughtless nonsense.

 

How many priorities outweigh the needs of the wounded veterans coming home from defending our freedoms?  ABSOLUTELY NONE!!!

 

How many priorities are more important than our youngest, most vulnerable disabled veterans?  AGAIN-NONE!!!

 

The priorities that rule the day are the fruit of hedonism, lethargy and political jealousy.  We are in an age that has lost touch with the values of freedom and its necessary costs.

 

Why is it that many of our elected leaders don’t seem to feel any sense of obligation to our brave men and women sent to war and returning from that hell?  I personally believe they think we can fight wars on the cheap-the only costs being weapons and logistics.  Do they believe war to be unnecessary?  I believe most do.  I wish that were the case, but the stark reality is that some leave us no choice.

 

Few in politics today ever served in the armed forces.  The number of veterans in elected positions grows constantly smaller, and with these diminishing numbers we lose the literal backbone of the truth in the philosophies of our United States.

 

It is harsh to say, but not enough of our elected leaders have a son or daughter serving in the armed forces.  Truly, I doubt a politician would talk about “so many other priorities” if they were a veteran or had a daughter or son right now in the streets of Baghdad or Kabul?

 

Do I discount politicians without service or families in the service? Absolutely not, but with all due respect, they need to shut up.

 

It pains me to say this, but the troubles faced by many of our veterans today are the same problems they’ve confronted for decades.

 

Still, after years of promises, a disabled veteran can wait years to see a claim for benefits go through the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

 

Think of this:  World War II and Korean and Vietnam Veterans are still dying as they wait for someone to look at their claims. 

This didn’t happen because people reduced the size of government.  Today’s government is larger than it has ever been….making up about 15% of the workforce in the State of Tennessee alone.

 

The reduction simply has taken place in VA services to men and women who protect and make a living off that government.

 

The problems faced by our veterans today have, unfortunately, hounded us since the genesis of our country.  Following the Revolutionary War, wounded veterans were seen begging in the streets of Boston, New York and Philadelphia.

 

I say this to all current and future politicians:  If you are going to speak of the courage and honor of America’s veterans…if you’re going to cite our nation’s debt to those who defended freedom…then by all means LIVE BY YOUR WORDS!!!

 

We veterans and our friends can no longer be seduced by shining speeches on patriotic holidays.  Veterans Days are not an excuse for a retail sale.  We must understand reality.

 

All of us who are veterans know the cost of duty.  We lived up to our duty at a high personal price.  We did not talk of other priorities in our lives.  We did our duty, and we simply did not look back.

 

Now, when veterans need their government, our nation’s leaders should do their duty regardless of the discomfort.  No discomfort in a political discussion can outweigh the terror in combat or the missed opportunities for families.

 

No one-ABSOLUTELY NO ONE-should speak of other priorities that rank higher than our nation’s disabled veterans.  Such talk betrays the blood of heroes.

 

In closing, Thank you again to our veterans, the families of veterans and members of our community here tonight.  Thank you again, Mr. Barnett for the generous donations to make tonight a reality and to all for remembering and being willing to support those of us who served.

America is its people, and you are the power and compassion that brings us national honor.  You are the pillar of our moral strength.

I am humbled to have the privilege of participating in just a few plays in the big political game.  I realize that I have just one vote, but I realize that I HAVE A VOTE!

 

Thank you.  Good night, and God Bless America.

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