Secretary Wilkie

When I think of this day, I think of the words of the greatest of airborne warriors, General Matthew Ridgeway, who had led the All American Division in North Africa and Sicily, and planned the airborne assault on Hitler’s Fortress Europe.

Now the problem of homeless Veterans is not new to our generation or to the generation that came out of Southeast Asia. We really started to see it in World War I.

I want to give you a figure. Forty-one million. Forty-one million Americans have put on the uniform since the shots were first fired at Lexington Green in April of 1775.

Today recognizes the fact that this is a milestone in life—and it marks a great time of change for all of you.

The great Pat Conroy said there’s no place on earth like Charleston.

We are now in the middle of making the timelines for the implementation of the MISSION Act, which opens the aperture on Choice.

In the last year, VBA completed over 273,000 appeals actions that resulted in 135,000 resolutions in FY 2018—a massive amount of work. We launched the Rapid Appeals Modernization Program to give every eligible Veteran early access to our system’s benefits, while lowering the number of appeals pending in the legacy system.

In my short time, I’ve met with Student Vet Centers at Ole Miss and Clemson and here in Washington, D.C. And you are now a permanent part of the table.

The expansion and extension of the TriWest contract ensures access to community care for our veterans. The decision allows for smoother transition to the Community Care Network contracts when awarded.

This day reminds all Americans that they sleep soundly at night because of the sacrifices of millions of ordinary men and women. Today marks the 100th Anniversary of the sadly named War to End All Wars.

This weekend will mark the 100th anniversary of the sadly named War to End All Wars. On the 11th day, the 11th hour, the 11th month, millions of men emerged from the trenches that had cut across Europe like scars to breathe the smell of peace for the first time.

But no matter what the soldier sees, no matter how terrible, it is he who declines to accept the end of man. It is the soldier who always endures.