Each year on August 7, Americans pause to honor the brave men and women who have been wounded or killed in combat while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Known as Purple Heart Day, this solemn occasion recognizes recipients of the Purple Heart Medal, the nation’s oldest military decoration still awarded.

The origins of the Purple Heart trace back to August 7, 1782, when General George Washington created the Badge of Military Merit to honor “singularly meritorious action” among enlisted soldiers. Though only three were awarded during the Revolutionary War, the badge laid the foundation for what would become the Purple Heart.

Each year nearly 200,000 servicemen and women leave the United States military and transition back into civilian life. Of those transitioning, 55% of veterans cite employment as one of their most significant hurdles during their transition, according to a study conducted by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Politicians of every party in every state in the union are fond of using some form of the phrase, “budgets are about priorities.”

Where and how we spend our money reflects what is truly important to us.

For more than two centuries, the Illinois state budget has been no different – a reflection of the priorities of a majority of the members of the General Assembly and the Governor.

Three bills championed by State Representative Brandun Schweizer to benefit veterans passed out of the House and Senate late last week and are now headed to the Governor for his signature.

Senate Bill 1160, originally filed by State Representative Stephanie Kifowit and then transferred to Rep. Schweizer, amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to allow any resident of Illinois who served in the United Nations Protecting Force in Somalia, Panama, or Grenada to apply for a United National Protection Force license plate.

State Representative Brandun Schweizer (R-Danville) passed two measures, HB 1882 and HB 2777, to benefit veterans out of the House. The legislative pieces were originally filed by State Representative Stephanie Kifowit of Aurora, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and Vice Chair of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, before chief sponsorship was transferred to Rep. Schweizer, also a veteran of the Marine Corps, serving 21 years.

The pictures are so famous they almost speak for themselves.

A two-day long Grand Review of the Armies in Washington DC in May 1865 to celebrate the northern victory in the Civil War.

General Eisenhower, in an open car with a wide grin and outstretched arms receiving a ticker tape parade through Manhattan following American victory in World War II.

The HIRE Vets Medallion Program is an employer recognition program administered by the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS). Through the program, VETS accepts voluntary applications from employers for the HIRE Vets Medallion Award beginning on January 31 of each calendar year. The Award recognizes employers who hire and retain veterans, including their efforts to establish employee development programs and veteran specific benefits to improve retention.

“As a proud veteran of the United States Navy from 1965 to 1971, I am encouraging employers to learn about the Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act of 2017 (HIRE Vets Act or the Act), signed by President Trump in 2017,” said State Representative Paul Jacobs, a member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “This program recognizes employer efforts to recruit, employ, and retain veterans.”

Employer-applicants meeting criteria established in the rule receive a “HIRE Vets Medallion Award.” There are two award tiers, Platinum and Gold, for large (500-plus employees), medium (51-499 employees), and small employers (50 or fewer employees). Verification of award criteria includes a self-attestation by the applicant CEO or CHRO and a check for violations of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Act (VEVRAA).

Successful employers receive a certificate stating the award year, a digital image of the medallion to use, including as part of an advertisement, solicitation, business activity, or product, and will be recognized on the program website. Award recipients have the opportunity to utilize the medallion in the marketing of their firm as a veteran ready business when hiring and in efforts to attract additional business.

Detailed information about how to gain eligibility can be found at the HIRE Vets Medallion Program can be found at HIREVets.gov or by contacting HIREVets@dol.gov.

State Representative Travis Weaver (R-Edwards) has filed legislation in the newly-formed 104th General Assembly aimed at supporting families who have lost a loved one killed in the line of duty. House Bill 1115 provides a property tax exemption for Gold Star Parents.

When our county needed them, Veterans stepped up answering the call to serve with distinction. Our nation’s Veterans swore a solemn oath to support and defend our Constitution and through their courage, sacrifice and commitment, they defended our freedoms. Veterans have earned our undying gratitude and our ongoing support. Illinois House Republicans believe it is not enough to just honor these heroes on Veterans Day: They deserve our recognition every single day of the year. What’s more, they deserve policymakers who will go the extra mile to ensure Veterans receive the benefits and support they have more than earned.

In February 2024 the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced that U.S. Army Air Forces Tech Sgt. William L. Leukering, 28, of Metropolis, Illinois, killed during World War II, was "accounted for" eight decades after his bomber was shot out of the sky. His remains were identified on March 20, 2023. Luekering was buried with full military honors exactly 80 years after his death.

Earlier this month, Illinois State Representative Dan Swanson was named Illinois' Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Representative of the Year. He received the honors at Joint Opening Session of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Illinois state convention in Springfield.

 

State Representative Mike Coffey won House passage of his bill to include children of Operation Just Cause veterans on the list of those eligible for scholarships at the University of Illinois.

House Bill 4733 expands eligibility for honorary scholarships at the University of Illinois to the children of veterans who served at any time during the invasion of Panama between December 20, 1989, and January 31, 1990. These children would join the sons and daughters of veterans who served during conflicts dating back to World War II in having eligibility for the scholarships.

March 26th serves as a day of remembrance for the thousands of American service members who risked and lost their lives fighting at the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. The Battle of Iwo Jima, which lasted from February 19th to March 26th, 1945, stands as one of the largest and most important battles of the Pacific War. During the Second World War, the Allied forces found the need for more airports near mainland Japan in order to carry out long-range bombing missions and identified the island of Iwo Jima as an ideal location. Over the course of 5 weeks, more than 80,000 American service members carried out numerous missions in order to gain complete control over the island, many of whom were Illinoisans.

ENERGY

Bipartisan nuclear power plant bill signed into law. The new Public Act 103-584 applies to small modular reactors which, by scale design, cannot generate enough heat to breach containment. Advocates say that small modular reactor technology are one class of devices that point the way towards a future for Illinois’ energy supply, particularly as Illinois’ coal-fired and natural-gas-powered generating plants move through their operating life cycles.

Since the Revolutionary War more than 41 million Americans have served in our Nation’s military. The first Veterans were part of the Continental Army created in 1775 when colonial militias formed a common army under command of George Washington. Since then, the United States has declared war 11 times and fought in conflicts around the world.