Statement From Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Veterans Day and National Veteran and Military Families Month
Today and throughout November, we give special recognition to veterans and military families for their invaluable contributions and steadfast service to our country.
The Department of Defense’s greatest strategic asset is our people, and we must take the best possible care of them and their families. So, we are working closely with the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that every veteran has a smooth transition to civilian life, that they receive the comprehensive health care that they have earned, and that they and their families receive the valuable assistance available through our programs and services.
The Department has recently launched several major initiatives to take even better care of all of our people. We have lengthened paid parental leave to 12 weeks for all service members. We have made high-quality childcare on military installations more affordable and accessible. We have expanded service members’ eligibility for Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts. And we will continue to make life easier and better for our service members and their families by supporting the careers of military spouses, making military moves easier, increasing service member pay, and securing affordable basic needs for our service members and their families.
Our service members and veterans chose to put service before self. That ethos extends beyond their years in uniform. Many of our veterans continue to serve their communities after serving their country and enrich our democracy as leaders, teachers, coaches, mentors, and more.
So to all our troops, veterans, and military families on this Veterans Day: Thank you for all that you have given to keep America safe. You have our deepest gratitude and our everlasting commitment to continue to uphold the values that you defended.
A Holiday Message from the Acting Surgeon General of the Navy
Shipmates,
On Saturday, we will celebrate Veterans Day and honor all the men and women who have served to protect America’s interests and preserve our personal liberty.
Originally known as “Armistice Day,” it was first celebrated in November 1919 to mark the end of the First World War.
It was envisioned as a day of reflection filled with “solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with the gratitude for the victory” as remarked by President Woodrow Wilson. It was on Armistice Day in 1921, that the U.S. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery was first dedicated. Over time, it became a day to honor all patriots, past and present. In 1954, it was renamed “Veterans Day,” a day to honor all veterans from all wars and a chance to celebrate the actions, the patriotism, and most of all, the service of our veterans.
We are all part of a force ensuring that we are maintaining, training, and equipping combat-ready naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression, and defending freedom of the seas – throughout the globe and in support of the National Defense Strategy.
We would not be who we are today in Navy Medicine without you all and what you do- every day!
Today, every veteran and their family is owed a debt of gratitude for the service and sacrifices made on behalf of our nation. Let us honor them today and remember them always!
Have a wonderful Veterans Day weekend!
V/R,
RDML Darin Via
Acting Navy Surgeon General
Acting Chief, BUMED
Lifestyle Medicine Education, Training, and Certification Opportunities
Note that this is an Air Force memo, not Navy, but still useful to those in the Navy:
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