Honoring veterans
To the editor:
Each of us has a connection to someone who has served and sacrificed for our freedom. My father and two of his brothers served in Germany in World War II. My mother’s brother served in the South Pacific. This Veterans’ Day, I challenge you to keep service men and women and their families in your thoughts and prayers.
As a state legislator, I am particularly concerned about joblessness among veterans. Data shows that the unemployment rate for Minnesota veterans who have served since 9/11 is nearly 23 percent, the third highest in the nation. That rate is almost double the national average, and more than three times the state’s overall unemployment rate.
The Legislature and the state over the past few years began some new programs and built on others to help returning vets and their families. We invested in a program to help military veterans reintegrate into society after their service, and expanded educational programs for soldiers and their families. But we can still do more.
I will continue to work to identify ways we can support veterans in our community. After all, our military men and women have carried more than their share of this country’s weight. Please join me in offering up our deepest thanks to those who have served our nation and sacrificed their lives so we might live freely.
Dave Thompson
Lakeville
