Bennet Statement in Observance of Veterans Day

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today released the following statement in observance of Veterans Day. Today, Bennet is making a series of visits in Denver and Colorado Springs aimed at supporting organizations that support Colorado’s veterans.

“One percent of our country is currently serving in the military, which means one percent of Americans have shouldered 100 percent of the responsibility to keep our country safe,” said Bennet. “And it falls to all of us - as individuals, as communities, as Americans – to ensure our nation is ready to fully honor our veterans, and their families, with the support and respect they deserve.

“As we prepare to bring our men and women home from Iraq by the end of the year, this year’s Veterans Day has a special significance. No veteran should have to fight for a job or end up on the streets when they return home. Our men and women in uniform have invaluable leadership skills, training and experience in the military that can serve many civilian fields, and prospective employers need to recognize how much of an asset these unique skills and this experience can be. Our obligation to America’s veterans holds us to a higher standard – one that recognizes and lives up to the obligation we have to those who have sacrificed so much to keep us safe.”

Earlier this week, experts from the public and private sectors presented Bennet with the “Better Serving Those Who Have Served” report, which was prepared following their participation in Bennet’s Colorado Veterans Forums in Denver and Colorado Springs earlier this year.

Bennet also introduced a bill to create a National Veterans Foundation, modeled after work being done in Colorado Springs to facilitate greater collaboration between public and private agencies, as well as service providers that support America’s veterans. The bill was a key highlight of the “Better Serving Those Who Served” report.