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Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Gov. Beshear Announces Honorary Committee for 11-11-11 Veterans Initiative
Esteemed lawmakers, veterans groups named to committee
FRANKFORT, KY.– Two lawmakers and four veterans’ groups have been named by Governor Steve Beshear to the Honorary Committee of his 11-11-11 initiative, which has highlighted state veterans and active duty service members over the last 6 months.
“The esteemed members of this committee are champions of our veterans and have advised my office over the last 6 months on our 11-11-11 initiative,” Gov. Beshear said. “We can never repay the huge debt we owe our veterans or fully express our appreciation to them. Our work over the last several years and our current initiative are small efforts to show our continued appreciation for their service.”
On Veterans Day this Friday – or 11-11-11 – members of the committee will join Gov. Beshear and First Lady Jane Beshear at 11 a.m. for a ceremony to honor Kentucky veterans at the Old Capitol in downtown Frankfort.
The Co-Chairs of the Interim Joint Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection, Representative Tanya Pullin, of South Shore and Senator Jack Westwood, of Erlanger, are the two lawmakers on the honorary committee. All members of the legislative committee have been invited to Friday’s event.
Representatives from the Kentucky American Legion, the Kentucky State Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans and the AMVETS of Kentucky have served on the honorary committee and will participate in the ceremony on Friday.
Since the launch of the 11-11-11 initiative, numerous veterans have told their stories and several personal letters by citizens to veterans have been facilitated thanks to the Beshear administration’s 11-11-11 website.
“On this website, you can search for veterans’ events around the state, submit your community’s event for veterans, and read personal stories about some of our state’s most outstanding military service men and women,” said First Lady Jane Beshear.
The First Lady encourages all veterans to submit their own essays about their work in the armed forces and asks that citizens write a message for veterans living in the state’s veterans nursing homes.
“We will collect notes left by the public and deliver them to the state’s three veteran nursing homes,” she said. “Several letters will be delivered this week.”
Over the last four years, the Governor’s Office and the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs have helped soldiers, veterans and their families deal with financial hardships, overcome logistical nightmares and gain deserving recognition.
Gov. Beshear has signed an array of legislation and has supported a number of initiatives ranging from exempting active duty military personnel from paying Kentucky income tax to giving veterans preference in state hiring. The Governor also traveled overseas in August to visit U.S. Troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“As governor and a former member of the U.S. Army Reserve, I am awed by the courage, dedication and sacrifice of our veterans and men and women in uniform – just as every Kentuckian should be,” Gov. Beshear said. “I hope you will join Jane and me in honoring all our veterans on this very special day.”
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