{"id":65292,"date":"2020-12-22T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-22T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/12\/22\/my-pledge-to-our-nations-veterans\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:01:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:01:12","slug":"my-pledge-to-our-nations-veterans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/opinion\/commentary\/2020\/12\/22\/my-pledge-to-our-nations-veterans\/","title":{"rendered":"My pledge to our nation\u2019s veterans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It is a great honor to be nominated by President-elect Joe Biden to serve as his secretary of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. As I said at the announcement event in Wilmington earlier this month, I am deeply humbled by the trust and confidence the president-elect has placed in me. If confirmed by the Senate, I am eager to do my part in fulfilling what President-elect Biden accurately refers to as our country\u2019s most sacred obligation: caring for our service members, veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the event I reflected on veterans who inspired me growing up and during my time in government service: my Marine grandfather, my high school football coach who served in World War II, all the troops I met on visits to Afghanistan and Iraq, and the wounded warriors I visited at Walter Reed. Knowing these brave service members and learning about how they and their families navigated the return home, with all its struggles and challenges, joys and triumphs, will continue to inspire me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will also bring to the Department of Veterans Affairs a deep knowledge of government. As a former White House chief of staff to President Barack Obama, I had visibility into every single federal agency and department. I saw firsthand that when our government is at its best, it can serve its citizens well and help Americans solve their problems. But too often it doesn\u2019t, and when that happens, it breeds distrust and resentment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supporting veterans runs in my family. My wife, Kari, is co-founder and president of Vets\u2019 Community Connections, whose mission is to assist veterans, military, and their families in successfully integrating into their community by expanding their local networks and involving all parts of the community. I\u2019ve been proud to support her in the important work she does every day to lift up veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I look forward to my own new leadership role serving veterans, President-elect Biden has made it clear what he wants me to do: \u201cfight like hell for our veterans.\u201d I\u2019m ready to take on that fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\t