Dear Friends:
As we celebrate Veterans Day, it is a great privilege and honor to recognize the sacrifices that all of our veterans have made in the name of service to our state and a grateful nation.
It has been a tremendous honor to have worn the Navy uniform and now to represent the interests of our veterans throughout Missouri as Governor. I have sought to put veterans' issues at the forefront, and, with the support of the state legislature, we have been able to achieve a great deal.
I have been an advocate for our veterans and their families. The budget I signed this year increased money for Missouri's veterans' homes by $8.7 million, which will lower the number of veterans on the waiting lists to enter the homes. I also signed legislation that established the Stolen Valor Act to put in law fit punishment for those who impersonate our military heroes. The Stolen Valor Act makes it illegal for a person to deliberately misrepresent themselves as a veteran or medal recipient.
Missouri's military heroes need to know that we are protecting the jobs of returning veterans and truly appreciate their service to our state and nation. That is why I signed legislation to enact additional protections for War on Terror Veterans to ensure that their jobs, wages and benefits are kept for them when called to serve our country. The legislation establishes a state fund to benefit War on Terror Veterans who apply for unemployment assistance related to their time serving, and to fund that program the bill established state penalties for employers who violated the law.
All of our veterans should be treated with dignity and respect for their sacrifices to defend our freedom and help spread the dream of freedom and liberty to parts of the world that have only known tyranny and oppression. To honor the sacrifices of Missouri's Vietnam veterans, we created the Vietnam War Medallion Program. The program honors and provides a greater awareness of the sacrifices of the men and women who served during Vietnam with a medallion and certificate.
A despicable protest at the funeral of Specialist Edward Lee Myers who died in service to our country clarified the need to ban protests at funerals for our military heroes. I was pleased to strengthen our laws and send a strong message that Missouri not only supports our military members at home and abroad, but that the sacrifices that they make are valued, respected and important to the grateful people for whom they fight and serve. We will not tolerate protests of a fringe group that acts with hate and causes pain to those who are mourning the loss of a military hero.
It is the hands of our veterans and Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines that have built America into what it is today, the greatest nation in the world, a nation that rests on a foundation of hard work, decency, and love of country and liberty. We owe our thanks and gratitude to all of the patriotic men and women who have served and are serving in our Armed Forces defending our freedom and values as we celebrate Veterans Day.
