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State Representative Kurt Zellers
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-5502
For more information contact: Austin Bleess 651-296-5529
NEWS COLUMN
A THANK YOU TO OUR VETERANS
By State Rep. Kurt Zellers,
District 32B
These days the word “hero” is tossed around rather liberally. To me, you don’t need to go to the movies or watch an athlete at the Metrodome to see a hero – all you have to do is look around your neighborhood. Our real heroes are our veterans.
As an American, there is no greater sacrifice than to put your life aside to fight for our country. Our veterans did exactly that, leaving their jobs and their families in order to put a nation’s interests ahead of their own. From World Wars to our current war, thousands of Minnesotans have answered this call to duty, and it is important to remember that without their courage and commitment, we would not have the freedoms that we enjoy today.
My grandfather served our country during World War II. Unfortunately he passed away before books had been written by Tom Brokaw or PBS and History Channel specials had been run to properly document the heroic actions of the “Greatest Generation”. When I asked my Dad if he had ever talked about the war with my Grandpa, the reply was simple but typical of the generation, “Whenever I asked Dad about the war he always told me it the greatest honor he could have ever done for his country and he was thankful his country gave him the chance to protect our freedoms.”
My Grandfather also asked my Dad, and my Dad has in turned asked me, to carry on one simple family tradition – whenever and wherever you see a man or woman in uniform who is serving our great country; shake their hand, thank them and ask that God bless their for their service. I carry on that tradition and will instill in my children the same love and reverence for the men and women who serve our country and protect all of our blessed freedoms.
I encourage you to find the veterans in your community and give them your heartfelt thanks for all that they and their families have given for our State and Country. It’s the one time each year where we should recognize these men and women for what they really are – true American heroes.
Programs and Services to Help our Veterans
There are many programs and services brought to veterans by the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs and other agencies. Here are a few:
LinkVet
LinkVet, the Veterans Linkage Line for Minnesota veterans, makes it easier for veterans and their families to find services and ensure immediate crisis intervention. During business hours, trained staff from the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs will provide information on veterans’ benefits, healthcare, education, and reintegration. The line will roll to Crisis Connection counselors for 24-hour, seven days a week coverage (including holidays) for immediate crisis intervention and psychological counseling. For more information on LinkVet: http://www.mdva.state.mn.us/LinkVet.htm
Minnesota GI Bill
The Minnesota GI Bill program provides postsecondary educational assistance to eligible Minnesota veterans, and to the children and spouses of deceased or severely disabled Minnesota Veterans. For eligibility requirements and financial assistance information: http://www.minnesotaveteran.org/education/MNGIBill.htm
E-mail Newsletters
The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs now offers e-mail lists to keep you informed of veteran issues in Minnesota. To sign up for the newsletters: http://www.mdva.state.mn.us/newsletter.htm
News Items
- Legislative Update (April 20, 2013) - (Posted: Apr 20 2013 2:43PM)
- Zellers Statement on House DFL Budget Framework - (Posted: Mar 19 2013 4:57PM)
- ZELLERS STATEMENT ON FEBRUARY FORECAST - (Posted: Mar 1 2013 6:02PM)
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