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Floor Speech

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Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, Saturday, November 11, is the anniversary of the end of World War I. Today we know it as Veterans Day.

On Veterans Day, we honor everyone who has worn the uniform of the United States of America. Alabama is proud that the Veterans Day tradition started in Birmingham, AL, in the aftermath of World War II. A local veteran named Raymond Weeks recognized the need for a day honoring all of our veterans.

In 1947, Raymond Weeks petitioned the Army Chief of Staff, a general named Dwight D. Eisenhower, for a national Veterans Day. Seven years later, General Eisenhower was President and signed it into law.

Alabama is proud of Raymond Weeks. We are proud to be home to nearly 400,000 veterans. And every Veterans Day, I am proud to come to this floor to tell my colleagues about a few of our veterans in Alabama.

The first I will mention today is Ron Skoneki from Montgomery, AL. He is the son of a Polish immigrant. He enlisted in the Air Force about as soon as he could right after graduating from high school. He served in Thailand during the Vietnam war. He helped repair and maintain aircraft for a strong defense. After 33 years of service, Lieutenant Colonel Skoneki retired. But he wanted to continue to serve, so he joined Alabama's wing of the Civil Air Patrol in Montgomery. He then served another 16 years helping to support the U.S. Air Force in a civilian capacity. Now at 87 years old, he is just as proud of his time wearing this uniform as he has ever been. And he should be.

I would also like to tell the Senate about CSM Joe Godwin of Mobile, AL. He wanted to join the military ever since he was 14 years old. By the time he was 17, he couldn't wait anymore; he got his dad's permission to join the Army.

He went on to serve in three wars: World War II, the Korean war, and the Vietnam war. He helped guard and transport Nazi prisoners during the Nuremburg trials.

Today, Joe is 94 years old. When people tell him he is a hero, he says that the real heroes are the ones who didn't make it back. He is a humble man. I think they are all heroes, anyone who served, and we ought to thank them today, tomorrow, and every day.

Finally, I would like to talk a little about SGT David Henry of Warrior, AL. Sergeant Henry has served as a firefighter and a paramedic. These experiences gave him skills that he used as a medic in the Iraq war.

His first deployment came when his son was only 6 months old. Sergeant Henry deployed again to the Middle East when his son was 3. He had to sacrifice to be an ocean away from his family during those crucial times of his son's growing up. He had to explain to a 3-year- old why Dad was going to be gone and he didn't know when he was coming back.

A lot of families know what that is like. Our heroes in uniform often serve as a family, and so, on Veterans Day, we thank their families, too, for their service. They are also making a huge sacrifice for our country.

Today, Sergeant Henry is back in sweet home Alabama. We are deeply grateful for his service to Alabama and to America.

Colonel Skoneki, Sergeant Major Godwin, and Sergeant Henry are just three examples of the 400,000 heroes who call Alabama their home.

The writer G.K. Chesterton once said:

The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.

You can see that in the lives of these veterans in Alabama. Our veterans fought because they believe in this United States of America. They believed America was worth fighting for and even, many, dying for. They laid down their lives for the people of this country, for millions of people they don't even know.

Everything we have in this country depends on a military that is very strong. Our economy, our security, and our way of life depends on our military.

President Ronald Reagan summed it up best when he said:

Veterans know better than anyone else the price of freedom, for they've suffered the scars of war. We can offer them no better tribute than to protect what they have won for us.

This Veterans Day and this Veterans Day weekend, I hope we will remember the price of freedom and those who have paid that ultimate price.

To all of our veterans, thank you for your service. Thank you for your sacrifice to ensure America remains a country of freedom and opportunity for all of the many generations to come.

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