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This is an early edition of the blog since tomorrow is Veterans Day. I had the honor of speaking at the Puyallup American Legion\u2019s annual Veterans Day event last weekend and I\u2019d like to share a portion of my remarks that day with you.<\/p>\n
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Back on September 2nd, I attended the opening ceremonies of the 43rd<\/sup> Annual Puyallup Tribe of Indians Pow Wow.\u00a0 The Pow Wow is an amazing celebration of Native culture.\u00a0 Nearly 100 dance groups and drummers from tribes across the country assembled to preserve and elevate their heritage.<\/p>\n The Pow Wow begins with a processional to welcome every dance group.\u00a0 As they enter the huge event tent, they dance in a circle, coiling like a snake, until everyone is dancing together.\u00a0 However, leading the procession was a color guard of veterans followed by even more veterans – and not just tribal veterans.\u00a0 I was asked to walk with them, not as the Pierce County Executive, but due to my service in the Navy.\u00a0 Those who had served were in a position of extreme honor – even ahead of the Tribal Council. It was remarkable and humbling to stand in the middle of the huge arena as group after group of dancers wound around the vets, encircling us with gratitude and appreciation. What a powerful experience!<\/p>\n One of the amazing things about this honor was it wasn\u2019t linked to Veterans Day or Memorial Day. It was as if every day is \u2013 or should be \u2013 a day to remember and honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans.<\/p>\n We live in a community that includes some 90,000 veterans.\u00a0 In addition, 11% of the Pierce County workforce are veterans who have faithfully taken on the burden and privilege of wearing the uniform.<\/p>\n Think about what it means to give up most of your personal freedoms. When you enter the military you commit to the selfless concept that the mission is more important than your unit and your unit is more important than you.<\/p>\n Serving and sacrificing means you miss many holidays, and you frequently uproot your family and move to meet the \u201cneeds of the Navy\u201d (substitute, Army, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force!). At the same time, parents, spouses, and children are left behind, praying for your safe return. And, tragically, some never return home.<\/p>\n Those that do return home from combat bring a host of wounds with them \u2013 some are physical, and some are wounds to their soul. These sacrifices last long after a uniform is hung up for good.<\/p>\n It\u2019s estimated that some 8,000 veterans in our community live below the poverty level and up to 300 are homeless. As a society, I believe no one who has served should live without a roof over their head.<\/p>\n That\u2019s where our Veterans Resource Center comes in. Thanks to the work of Robert Sheetz and his team, the Center partners with federal, state, non-profit and local agencies to support veterans and their families.\u00a0 They help them apply for veteran benefits, housing, employment, financial security, and behavioral healthcare. The Veterans Resource Center was created to serve as the one-stop shop for veterans and their families to access resources and assistance.<\/p>\n You can learn more about the Veterans Resource Center and the many ways they support our veterans in this video.<\/p>\n