Government and Politics
November 9, 2022
From: Nebraska Governor Jim PillenThroughout our state’s history, Nebraskans have made it a priority to honor our veterans. In fact, our appreciation is built into the very foundation of our State Capitol building.
One hundred years ago, in 1922, a military parade escorted veterans to the site of Nov 7th’s State Capitol in Lincoln to celebrate the laying of the building’s cornerstone. The cornerstone paid tribute to Nebraska’s veterans. It bears the inscription: “Dedicated to the Memory of Those Who Fell in the Service of their Country.” The ceremony took place at 11:00 a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month of the year to mark the exact time of the ceasefire that officially ended World War I in 1918.
Our ancestors rightly recognized that a willingness to serve is the cornerstone of a free Republic. America’s greatness endures because of selfless citizens who willingly take responsibility to serve their families, communities, and nation. Our women and men who’ve put on the uniform deserve our gratitude year-round, and especially on Veterans Day.
This includes our surviving veterans, like Army veteran Erin Colson, who continues to serve others as a veteran service officer at the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs (NDVA). This year, Erin helped convene the State’s inaugural Women Veterans Symposium to gather and honor Nebraska’s female veterans. It also includes those who gave their lives serving our country, like fallen Marine Corporal Daegan Page. A member of the Omaha community, Daegan was just 23 years old when he was killed last year while serving his country during the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.
This Veterans’ Day, we’re gathering to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Capitol’s cornerstone being laid. We’ll thank the men and women who’ve bravely served in our nation’s military and honor those who’ve given the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. During the ceremony, I’ll sign a proclamation recognizing Veterans Day 2022 in Nebraska. The event is being co-hosted by the Office of the Nebraska Capitol Commission and the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs. I invite you to join us—either in-person or online. A livestream will be provided by Nebraska Public Media starting at 10:30 a.m. with prelude music performed by Offutt Brass. You can tune in at nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/series-media/non-series-video/capitol-cornerstone-veterans-day-program-50019877. We’ll be joined by Nebraska veterans and the families of the fallen, including Wendy Adelson, Daegan Page’s mother.
Veterans and military families are some of the most dedicated, patriotic citizens in our society. We want more of them to put down roots here in the Good Life, and we’ve worked to grow the benefits and programs we provide in recognition of their service.
We’ve seen great success from our veterans initiatives. Nebraska has one of the lowest unemployment rates in America among veterans. In 2021, the average annual unemployment rate for veterans in Nebraska was 2.4%—even lower than our overall rate of 2.5%. In October, SmartAsset ranked Nebraska as the fourth-best state in the nation for veterans. While that’s a strong ranking, we have our sights set on the #1 spot!
Our state’s tradition of honoring our veterans remains as vibrant as ever. Nebraskans volunteer time and donate money to build parks and monuments honoring our veterans. These tributes preserve the stories of their heroic patriotism for future generations. This year, the State used funds from our Shovel-Ready Capital Recovery and Investment Act to support veterans projects underway across Nebraska.
If you have additional ideas for how Nebraska can support military families and veterans, please share them with me at [email protected] or by calling 402-471-2244. May God bless our veterans, and may God bless the great state of Nebraska!
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