September 2011

On a beautiful, clear and sunny Tuesday morning ten years ago, on September 11, 2001, American citizens reeled from the unexpected attacks that planned to cripple the major centers of our nation. That day came to be called “9/11,” a phrase coined for the national emergency telephone number synonymous in our minds with catastrophe. The attacks came by air using hijacked passenger aircraft that crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in Manhattan, NY, the U.S. Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a field in Shanksville, PA. Many compare that day to “Pearl Harbor Day” on December 7, 1941, when Japanese aircraft destroyed American structures and lives, and our oldest World War II veterans remember both historical days of infamy within their lifetimes.

Only a little over a year prior to 9/11, our nation prepared for possible catastrophic computer malfunctions from the “Y2K” bug, but no one expected such a tragedy in the following year -- one that thrust us into a war in the Middle East that has spanned ten years and two presidencies and has witnessed the demise of Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden.

Since September 11, 2001, over 32,000 Wisconsin soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, Reservists, and National Guardsmen and Guardswomen have served in the Global War on Terror in combat, security, support, and logistical roles. The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) responded to the needs of these new veterans, many of whom served multiple tours, through its “Mission:  Welcome Home” program that assisted these veterans and their families in the critical readjustment period after returning home.

I myself experienced the effect of September 11th during my two deployments to Iraq in 2007 and from 2008-2009. Our 9/11 veterans are our new generation of heroes who are carrying on the torch from previous generations.

The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs championed the creation of the Wisconsin GI Bill that ensures Wisconsin veterans access to higher education to further their post-military careers. The department continues to provide veterans information on their federal and state benefits and access to numerous Wisconsin employers through ongoing outreach initiatives such as Supermarkets of Veterans Benefits, job fairs and other programs.

New challenges facing today’s veterans such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnoses, military suicides, traumatic injuries, unemployment and homelessness are concerning. Governor Scott Walker and the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs will continue to adapt to meet their needs and continue to work together with the government, the veterans community, and the public to tackle these problems head on and identify solutions to ensure that all Wisconsin veterans are healthy, employed, and treated with the respect they deserve. As we move forward, three priorities are ahead:  long-term solvency of the agency and the Veterans Trust Fund; veterans employment; and outreach, including providing services to meet the needs of 21st Century veterans.

In observance of this fateful day in American history, the State of Wisconsin will hold a ceremony of remembrance at the south entrance of the Capitol on Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 7:30 a.m.