Sen. Joni Ernst Saturday called on Americans to honor the service of the nation's veterans this Memorial Day weekend, while praising a new law that will allow Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs) from World War II to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
"While Memorial Day is a day to honor our fallen heroes, I would also like to say a few words about our veterans whose sacrifices must never be forgotten," the Iowa Republican said in Saturday's GOP address. "From those who responded after the shocking attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, to those sent around the globe after the tragic events of September 11 2001, we honor them."
Ernst herself is a veteran. She retired from the military in 2015, served for 23 years in the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard, including as a lieutenant colonel in the logistics branch, commanding the 185th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion at Camp Dodge, the largest battalion in the Iowa Army National Guard, during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
On Saturday, she praised the WASP legislation, explaining that the 'bold, revolutionary women flew non-combat service missions for the Army Air Force to free up their male counterparts for combat duty overseas."
The women "willingly put their lives on the line for this country during a time of war," said Ernst. "This work wasn’t easy and in fact, 38 WASP died in service to our great nation, such as Beverly Moses, who was born in Des Moines, and Gleanna Roberts, who grew up near Iowa City."
Ernst also on Saturday praised Congress' work on the annual appropriations and defense spending bills, said the measures will "provide some level of certainty to our brave service members now serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and in other places around the world."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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