Mark Kirk: “with a President to inaugurate and a troubled economy we can overlook the sacrifice of our troops in Afghanistan. This…”

“with a President to inaugurate and a troubled economy we can overlook the sacrifice of our troops in Afghanistan. This conflict, overshadowed by Iraq, is often called the Forgotten War. Last month I became the first Member of the House to serve in an Imminent Danger Area since 1942. Now, Members of this House have served in all of America's wars, from the Revolution through World War II. But the Defense Department's policy of 1943 blocked reservist Congressmen from serving in Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Kosovo or Iraq. Senator and Colonel Lindsay Graham broke through this barrier 2 years ago, and I became the first Member of this House to also serve since World War II. While our country has moved from a draftee military to an all-volunteer force, I think it's still important for as many Americans as possible to share the burden of our troops. Our military is the strongest when it pulls into its ranks Americans from all races, creeds and colors and especially all walks of life. It is important for Members of this House, where the Constitution places the power to declare war, to also serve alongside our troops. I voted for the deployment of troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, and was honored then to be one of the first to join them in Afghanistan. As a Naval Reserve Intelligence Officer, I deployed to Southern Afghanistan in support of NATO's International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF at the headquarters of Regional Command South.”