This Veterans Day, Common Defense asks Elected Officials to Honor Their Service with Action

Veterans stand up for the democracy they swore to defend

WASHINGTON — On Veterans Day, Common Defense honors those who swore an oath to protect our Constitution, risking everything to defend our democracy. For the members of Common Defense, the nation’s largest grassroots veterans organization, honoring service members means more than statements of support and gratitude. Congress has a responsibility to honor service with action.

Common Defense Executive Director, Jose Vasquez, released the following statement: 

“Today, we reflect on the sacrifices made by all of those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and extend our appreciation and gratitude to veterans who served our country both at home and abroad. As an Army veteran myself, I understand the sacrifice of service because I have lived it. 

“While elected officials across the nation offer words of gratitude and respect, these statements are hollow if they are not supported by action. Our elected officials must honor their oath, the same oath sworn by servicemembers, to defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic. As veterans, we made sacrifices to defend our democracy, and now Congress has the opportunity to honor our sacrifice by hearing our call. For the veterans of the War in Afghanistan, the past year has been harrowing as they have seen the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, and many veterans have personally tried to help our Afghan Allies escape. In the military, we promise to “leave no one behind” and that promise extends to the Afghans who served alongside us as interpreters and aides the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. 

Congress has the opportunity to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, which will ensure that we provide for our Afghan Allies. There is still time on the legislative calendar this year, but for too many of our Afghan brothers and sisters, their time on humanitarian parole is running out. If the U.S. military is ever to rely upon local forces again, we must show the world that we never abandon our allies. We will leave no one behind.”