Veterans Day 2017 – Message from Secretary David Shulkin

On Veterans Day, the nation honors our Veterans and their unique role safeguarding our freedom as a people.  Our 16^th President, Abraham Lincoln envisioned the honoring of our war dead, in what later became Memorial Day, and caring for the living of those who engaged our enemies on the battlefield on what today is Veterans Day.  That promise includes both the Veteran who walked a post, stood on the deck of a great ship, or flew in the skies, and the families who provided them so much support.

At VA, Lincoln’s promise, and that of our nation’s leaders since that time, is ours to keep 365 days a year.  Today, President Trump has focused our attention on providing timely, high quality care and benefits to our Veterans and their families.

We are proud that support for our Veterans does not know the barriers of partisanship or special interest – the nation is united providing our Veterans with what we as a nation promised.

While we know that much work remains, my confidence grows that we are on our way to meeting the challenges that lie ahead.  The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen, continue to serve in all corners of the globe, in operations too numerous to list – in combat and peace – constantly renewing our faith in their ability to achieve their mission of protect our fellow citizens.

Our Veterans from every era have earned our devotion and the VA stands committed to providing the care and benefits to them and their families.

On this day, we remember those who have sworn an oath to honor and defend this great nation.