Country owes debt to those who served

What does the land of the free and the home of the brave mean to you? Since the Revolution, we have fought for freedom, liberty and justice. We have built a great nation from the blood and sweat of our forefathers, great men and women who fought vigorously for our constitutional rights. So let us not forget those who have shed their blood, sweat and tears for our freedom.

In 2006, it was estimated that there were 495,000 homeless veterans in the U.S. Thankfully, with Veterans Affairs programs, the number has decreased by 40 percent, but this is not enough.

The thought of our men and women who selflessly volunteer to defend our country and way of life, left homeless, jobless is unforgiving. It is unacceptable! We want to guarantee our returning veterans and current veterans and family have the tools to be productive members of society and to prosper.

In the last few months, I have talked with several veterans and there is one whose story brought tears to my eyes. I was introduced to a young man from Mansfield who served in Iraq. He was indifferent to his wounded body and I tried not to notice, but I did. His head was held high, he had no regrets as he explained he served two tours in Iraq and is a Marine, a leader and proud he served and defended our country. We began talking about his injuries and he smiled as he told me his story. He looked down at his leg, then glanced to the large scars across his chest and said "I took a grenade for my men, and I didn't loose one. Semper fi!"

He is one of many and a reminder to the American people why we should stand up and salute our veterans: true American heroes.