By DANIEL ELLIOTT

State representative

It has always been an honor and privilege for me to serve our community in the Kentucky General Assembly. But, what I find to be so much more rewarding, is the opportunity to give back to our nation’s veterans through my service. On Wednesday, December 7th, we observed the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Last month, we celebrated Veteran’s Day, a time to reflect on and thank our nation’s greatest heroes for their sacrifices and selflessness in defending the United States. For many reasons, their service is a debt we can never repay.

The American experience is one of the most unique known to mankind. We rarely encounter the enemy on our soil, and our citizens do not live day-to-day in fear of violent atrocities, unlike so many other countries around the world. We have the United States Armed Forces to thank for that. These brave men and women continuously work to defend our country and the freedoms we hold so dear. They run toward the enemy who, often, hates us for simply being Americans. They place themselves in harm’s way to ensure you and I have the opportunities to live in a country that values individual freedom and democracy. We should never take this for granted.

The service members we honor come from various walks of life, but they share some of the most important fundamental qualities: honor, courage, commitment, and the selflessness and dedication to serve a cause larger than one’s self. The men and women of our military volunteer to serve our country. They volunteer to leave their families, their home and all that they love and know, to secure our freedoms and our safety. They do this knowing there is the possibility they may not return home – and sadly, some do not. These courageous men and women are not forced to join the service – they do so on their own accord, and that speaks volumes not only of what our country means to them, but how far they are willing to go to stand up for what they believe in. It is so important to remember this, as we must remember they are volunteering to lay their lives down for our country.

It is so important that we as Americans take time to thank the veterans who have served our nation and who continue to serve. And we must not forget to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. It is our duty to ensure that this tradition is passed down to our children, and our children’s children. For we know all too well that freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. 

I ask that today that you thank the veterans you know for their service. Remember the sacrifices they have made for you, and all they have been willing to give up in order to protect our nation, to keep us safe, and to keep us free. I ask that you also remember that our veterans deserve our support, our thanks, and our respect each and every day of the year.

We are the shinning city on a hill because of the men and women of our armed forces. I am so grateful for the service of our soldiers, our sailors, airmen, and marines. May God continue to bless and protect them, our Commonwealth, and our great nation.

As always, I welcome your comments and concerns on any issues facing our Commonwealth. I can be reached through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at (800) 372-7181, or you can contact me via email at Daniel.elliott@lrc.ky.gov. You can keep track of committee meetings and potential legislation through the Kentucky Legislature Home Page at www.lrc.ky.gov.

Daniel Elliott is the state representative for the 54th District, which includes Boyle and Casey counties.