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“Thank you for what you have done to defend the sacred ideal of human freedom in times of great anxiety, challenge and danger,” Senator Shawn-Michael Malone said today extending 2010 Veterans Day greetings to United States Military Veterans in his annual message to the Territory. “For generations to present, Virgin Islanders have abandoned peaceful pursuits to advance fundamental principles of liberty in distant places,” the Senator said.
“We take great pride and satisfaction in the recent violence free general elections which is freedom’s crowning virtue, the peaceful selection of leadership by majority rule,” Senator Malone said.
“We honor the courage and commitment of those who have responded to America’s call to military service and sacrificed their lives for ideals and principles which many at home are still striving to achieve. We honor families, loved ones and friends who steadfastly maintain the home front when parents are deployed and young children and dependents are left behind. We honor the memory of the 872nd and 873rd Port Companies of Virgin Islanders who first responded during World War II and those Virgin Islanders who served during the Cold War, Korean Conflict, Viet Nam, First Gulf War and multiple military operations since,” Senator Malone continued.
“We also honor the members of the Virgin Islands National Guard who have repeatedly been deployed to support military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and have recently served in Kosovo and Cuba in conjunction with the war against terror. We honor and give thanks for the support network of volunteers providing invaluable assistance to families at home and service members abroad. We honor those who departed to serve and returned their bodies wrecked, minds altered and forever young despite the passage of time.” Senator Malone said.
“As we pause to say a simple but sincere thank you to Veterans for their service, we must re-commit to achieving a more peaceful, fair, compassionate and just society at home, rooted in democratic beliefs; seeking to achieve the greatest good for the largest number of Virgin Islanders. Veterans can take great honor in advancing and defending freedom’s most cherished ideals, while prepared to pay the ultimate sacrifice as a reminder that the price of human liberty is never free and must be protected at home and abroad by those who answer the call to serve,” Senator Malone concluded.
