Political Quotes

“no one in this body other than I had the privilege to know Justin Eldridge of Waterford, CT. Justin was a true American hero, a patriot--a U.S. marine who served our country in Afghanistan and who scarcely more than 24 hours ago took his own life at his home. My thoughts and prayers are with Justin's wife Joanna and their four children and all of Justin's family and friends, fellow marines, who grieve his loss at this difficult time. I first came to know Justin when he formed a chapter of the Marine Corps League in southeastern Connecticut. He believed deeply in the Marine Corps and in service to his country, his family, and in the values and traditions and ethos of all of our great U.S. marines and the men and women who wear the uniform. Yesterday, Justin Eldridge lost his own battle--a long battle with post-traumatic stress that he fought heroically after serving in the Marine Corps for 8\1/2\ years before his medical retirement in 2008. Even after he returned home from Afghanistan, Justin had a long fight ahead of him. He returned home with the signature wounds of this war-- both traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress--and he worked for years to get the specialized treatment he needed. He tried hard to be there for his family. According to his wife Joanna, his four children loved having him around. He faced another all-too-common problem in this country--health care at the Veterans' Administration and accessing the care he needed.…”