Let's Do a Better Job of Honoring our Veterans

Following is CWA President Chris Shelton's message for Veterans Day 2015. You can also read his statement on Medium. 

What does it mean to honor our veterans? Today, many of us will join in community celebrations and parades, or solemn commemorations at local cemeteries.

There's no question that we must acknowledge and salute the sacrifice of generations of military men and women who put aside their own families and their own lives and took on the commitment to keep our nation safe. Our veterans deserve no less.

Frankly, our veterans deserve so much more than the lip service that too many elected officials pay them. Veterans deserve to come back from overseas conflicts, whether Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan or any other service with the opportunity to move into good, family-supporting jobs. They deserve quality health care. They deserve to know that they and their families can have a secure retirement, and that the benefits of Social Security and Medicare will be available to them. They deserve to share in the American Dream, because it is their sacrifice that has made that dream possible for so many.

As a veteran, I'm proud that CWA is fighting to make certain that veterans – and all working people – can share in our nation's economic gains and claim their share of the American Dream. Our country cannot continue to look out only for the 1 percent, Wall Street and big banks.

We won't stop. That's our commitment to the tens of thousands of CWA members and retirees who are veterans, and to all veterans. We appreciate your service, on this day and every day.