Political Quotes

“more than half the men and women serving the United States now in Iraq and Afghanistan are members of Guard and Reserve units. Not that long ago they were working civilian jobs with regular payroll and, of course, performing their responsibilities in the Guard and Reserve on weekends and during summer duty. They understood when they volunteered that they could be activated. They have been. In my State, 80 percent of the Guard units have been activated. They have served this Nation bravely, selflessly. They have done it at great sacrifice to themselves and their families: The pain of separation to be away from your family for a whole year, sometimes longer, to be gone when important family events occur, and an additional hardship that comes with this service. Some of these service men and women find that when they are activated in the Guard and Reserve units, they are paid less by the military than they were receiving in their civilian capacity. So the expenses they incur, the bills they have to pay--whether it is for a mortgage, utility bills, education expenses for their children--continue, even though as they serve our country they receive less money. We are fortunate that many of their civilian employers have stepped up and said: We will protect you. If you will stand up for America, we will stand up for you.…”