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Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough offered precocious praise to members of the National Guard connected Sunday during a code successful Las Vegas, saying its work successful Afghanistan — and connected the home beforehand combating the COVID-19 pandemic — has been heroic.
“My connection to the defender contiguous tin beryllium summarized successful the pursuing 2 words: convey you,” McDonough said astatine the Mandalay Bay Convention Center during the 143rd league of the National Guard Association of the United States.
McDonough spoke to hundreds of members of the National Guard from Nevada and crossed the state astir the Department of Veterans Affairs’ enactment to amended services for veterans. He told those contiguous that each veterans’ work successful Afghanistan is cherished. At 1 constituent during his remarks, helium asked dozens of defender members who served successful Afghanistan to basal up, prompting a lengthy applause arsenic the federation winds down its withdrawal from the war-torn nation.
“There is nary mode I tin adjacent imagine, adjacent statesman to imagine, however you consciousness close now,” McDonough said to those who served. “In information I deliberation determination is nary mode anyone who didn’t service successful Afghanistan, who didn’t combat successful Afghanistan, who didn’t judge successful Afghanistan, could afloat recognize however you consciousness close now. No 1 tin unless they person walked arsenic you person among the Afghan people.”
McDonough said the federation is “deeply, profoundly grateful” for each those who served successful Afghanistan.
“With courageousness and unwavering commitment, you did your work again and again and again,” helium said.
Evictions, wellness care
McDonough besides said the VA is encouraging veterans facing eviction to interaction their section office. Last week the Supreme Court blocked the Biden medication from enforcing the impermanent prohibition of evictions enactment successful spot successful airy of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We person enactment and programming,” McDonough said. “We tin assistance you find further enactment if you find yourself successful request of lodging oregon you are confronting a troubling concern regarding your rent and paying your mortgage.”
McDonough encouraged Las Vegas Valley veterans successful a lodging situation to interaction the VA’s section Community Resource and Referral Center astatine 702-791-9077 during mean concern hours. On weekends and evenings, they tin telephone 702-706-6089.
This weekend’s defender league offered a accidental for members to web and larn astir caller services, technologies and resources disposable to them.
Col. Jerome Guerrero, president for the Nevada National Guard Association, said the relation is advocating for modernization of instrumentality and exertion for members, arsenic good arsenic improving entree to wellness attraction benefits.
“All of these men and women person civilian jobs, and not each of them person wellness care,” Guerrero said. “One of the statistic retired determination is astir 15 percent of the men and women successful the National Guard don’t person full-time wellness attraction coverage. One of the things we are trying to propulsion is wellness attraction for all.”
Contact Glenn Puit by email astatine gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ connected Twitter.
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