Today, on Veterans Day, we honor those who honored our country with its highest form of service. We owe our thanks, respect, and freedom to these brave men and women. But this gratitude is grounded in something greater than what our veterans did on duty – it’s an appreciation of the example set by our veterans after their service has ended.
This is an example we need more of today as our nation continues to grow more polarized. It’s the example of a military that meets every mission as one, united team. And it’s the example of a veteran who, when they take off their uniform, still serves this country in everyday life with the same sense of duty and honor. We can all learn from this example, and it’s one that’s especially needed today in the halls of Congress.
It most likely doesn’t come as a surprise to hear the share of veterans serving in Congress is near a record low. I believe some more military virtue could go a long way in Washington: Duty, honor, and, perhaps most importantly within the context of Washington, D.C., patriotism over party politics. Unfortunately, there are some who seemingly care more about their party than their country.
I believe some more military virtue could go a long way in Washington. Unfortunately, there are some who seemingly care more about their party than their country.
I wasn’t recruited to Congress by the political machine. I ran for office for the same reason I joined the Naval Academy and flew F/A 18 Super Hornets off of aircraft carriers in the defense of our nation: A call to serve the country we love.
And while I believe an effort to put more veterans in office is important and positive, I’m committed to continuing the mission that began during my time in uniform: Protecting my fellow soldiers and bettering our nation. That mission is all-important, and I’ve done everything in my power to recommit Congress to that work.
Our military is in the middle of a recruitment and retention crisis, and military morale and readiness are at the lowest levels since World War II. Simply put, we need to do more for our soldiers and their families.
That’s why two years ago I introduced the Military Spouse Licensing Relief Act to ease the burden on our military families. This bill will allow military spouses to cross-deck their professional licenses across state lines, whether they’re a realtor, nurse, teacher, or any other profession. And I couldn’t be more proud to say that after passing both the House and Senate, my bill was signed into law by President Biden earlier this year. This is a win for our military families, national security, and local communities who are in desperate need of these qualified professionals.
This year, I was also proud to secure the highest pay raise in American history for our junior enlisted servicemembers. The military relies on young Americans to sign up amid many other career opportunities. It’s unacceptable that these brave men and women – who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of our freedom – are making less than fast-food workers in my home state of California.
This year’s Defense Appropriations bill now guarantees that every single soldier in our military makes at least $31,200 a year. But let me be clear: This victory is not a cure-all to the ongoing crisis in military recruitment and retention. It’s a much-needed step in the right direction – and our warfighters and their families have my commitment that I’ll never stop fighting for them – but there is still so much work to be done.
There are no words to express our gratitude and admiration for our veterans. But we can take the opportunity on this Veterans Day to remember their gift to us, and we can live everyday according to their values: Duty, honor, and service to the country we love.
President Reagan once said, “We can offer them no better tribute than to protect what they have won for us. That is our duty. They have never let America down. We will not let them down.”
Now let’s get to work and continue fighting to protect those veterans – those patriots – who have done so much to protect us.
Mike Garcia represents the 27th District of California in the US House of Representatives. A graduate of the Naval Academy, he saw combat operations during the first six months of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and participated in over 30 combat sorties in the skies above Baghdad, Fallujah, and Tikrit. He would go on to accrue over 1,400 hours of operational flight time over the course of nearly 20 years of military service to our country.