Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

New Mexico has a long and proud tradition of supporting the United States military, with New Mexicans having fought for the Union in the Civil War at Glorieta Pass, the National Guardsmen who were captured at Bataan, the Navajo Code Talkers who baffled the opposition, the soldiers who fought on the frozen steppes of Korea and patrolled the jungles of Vietnam, and the nearly 30,000 New Mexicans who have served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other hostile zones around the world since 2001. The United States has long benefited from the bravery of Americans and our state is made rich with the virtues of military service. Our citizens’ willingness to serve and the honor with which our veterans have done so is shown time and again through consistent loyalty, integrity, and self-sacrifice.

Today, let us take a moment to pay particular tribute to the men and women who are serving or have served our country in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since October 7, 2001, nearly 6,000 of those brave men and women never returned home to their friends and families they so selflessly left behind. And we shall never forget the heroism displayed by the 75 sons and daughters of New Mexico who have died while answering our nation’s call to service in these wars. Let us take a moment of silence to honor these men and women.

While we can never adequately repay the debt owed to those who sacrifice their lives for our freedoms, it is nevertheless incumbent upon every American to do all we can for our veterans young and old. As we speak, nearly 180,000 veterans live in New Mexico and that number is constantly growing. In Congress, we will continue to work to provide our veterans with the best services and opportunities to help them lead productive lives. We are working to increase funding and access to quality health care, to guarantee that all military personnel -- active and retired -- receive increased pay and benefits, and to recognize the contributions of the veterans of New Mexico to the nation.

I am proud of recent actions by Congress to increase funding which will go toward speeding up the benefits claims process, assisting homeless veterans, and expanding health care to veterans living in rural areas. And in the coming years, I will continue to support the President’s call for expanded funding for specialized care needed by veterans with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and other psychological and cognitive health needs.

I also remain convinced that receiving a good education is essential to achieve a better life for oneself and one’s family. To this end, I encourage all veterans, including National Guardsmen and Reservists, returning from Iraq and Afghanistan to take advantage of the opportunity to get a college degree through the expanded benefits established by the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

I hope that every New Mexican will take the time this Memorial Day to remember those who sacrificed their own lives for the greater good and reflect on how each and every one of us can serve those who so selflessly served us all. Their contributions are the cornerstone of our nation. We shall never forget them.