Sen. Murkowski Issues Veterans Day Message

Statement

In observance of Veterans Day, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, issued the following message:

"Veterans Day is a proud day for America. We rightfully take pause to do something we can never do too often and that is thank the men and women of our armed forces. We celebrate your courage, we recognize your sacrifice, and we honor your service.

"In Alaska we are proud to be home to the highest number of Veterans per capita of any state in the nation. We embrace our servicemen and women both past and present in communities throughout our great state. We recognize those who served honorably from the fields of Europe to the islands of the Pacific, from the Korean Peninsula to the jungles of Southeast Asia, and from the sands of the Middle East to the mountains of Afghanistan. We remember with special pride the distinguished service of our own Alaska Territorial Guard. We welcome home those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, and we pray for those still deployed. We offer our sincere thanks to those conducting alert operations throughout our state today from the missile fields at Fort Greely, to the airmen at Eielson and Elmendorf to our Coast Guardsmen all along our vast coastlines.

"Veterans always have and always will be an integral part of the Alaskan community. We need only consider the great number of veterans who elect to call Alaska their permanent home when their days in uniform are complete. Every Veteran has a story to tell, and we would be remiss if we did not learn from their experiences, share their love of country, and honor their sacrifice.

"It is equally important on Veterans Day to also remember that there are some who do not wear the uniform but who share the sacrifice that it entails. These are the families of our service men and women. Their love of country, dedicated service, and self sacrifice is no less a part of the fabric of our national strength.

"On this Veterans Day I say thank you to all of our soldiers past and present. These are challenging times for our nation and in the world around us. Yet we can sleep well at night knowing that our nation's men and women in uniform dutifully stand guard in Alaska and throughout the world. As they have for more than two centuries, America's armed forces continue to defend our freedom and our way of life. Our Veterans have earned our respect, and we freely offer our most sincere gratitude on this their day."

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