E Newsletter May 19th 2009

Dear Friends,

As we look forward to Memorial Day and honoring our military for their service and sacrifice, I'd like to take a moment to salute the women who have served in uniform.

This week, I had the privilege of hosting a ceremony at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. Eight other Members of Congress and honorees from each of the branches of the military joined me to lay a wreath at the memorial and pay tribute to women service members past, present and future.

From the Revolutionary War to the present day, women have been an important part of our military. Today, some 50,000 women are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Women have taken on more responsibility in the military, and with it comes greater sacrifice: more women have been killed or wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan than in World War II, Korea and Vietnam combined.

Today, more than two million women are serving in our military and close to two million more are veterans. The Women in Military Service for America Memorial is a fitting tribute to them and a stirring reminder of their importance in our Armed Forces. I am thankful every day for their service.

If you'd like to see some pictures of the ceremony at the memorial, please visit my photo blog.

For more information about the Women in Military Service for America Memorial, visit http://www.womensmemorial.org/.

Sincerely,

Kay Granger

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