Hawaii political leaders spent Veteran’s Day sharing their personal connections to the U.S. armed forces, reflecting on the meaning of military service and sacrifice and advocating for veterans’ benefits and services.

What You Need To Know

  • In a video message shared on his social media platforms, Gov. David Ige said he and his wife, Dawn Amano Ige, appreciated the sacrifices of men and women in uniform, a sense of gratitude rooted in their own fathers’ service.

  • U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele, an officer with the U.S. Air Force and Hawaii Air National Guard, praised servicemen and -women for upholding the ideals contained in the U.S. Constitution
  • U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, posted on his Facebook account that honoring veterans “requires more than kinds words of gestures"

  • U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono highlighted congressional efforts to provide for veterans in Hawaii and across the country

 

In a video message shared on his social media platforms, Gov. David Ige said he and his wife, Dawn Amano Ige, appreciated the sacrifices of men and women in uniform, a sense of gratitude rooted in their own fathers’ service.

“We both know the rigors of war, having fathers who served in the military with distinction, earning the Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals in World War II as members of the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team,” Ige said. “Those who have worn the uniform of our nation through generations committed their lives and sacrificed much to secure the freedoms we have today.”

Ige also acknowledged the families of service members.

“We honor and pay tribute to the spouses, to the children, parents, brothers, sisters and extended families who have endured countless days and years of separation as duty called for their loved ones,” he said.

U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele, an officer with the U.S. Air Force and Hawaii Air National Guard, offered a mini civics lesson in American democracy in driving home the central mission of the U.S. military.

“Our United States military is the only military that does not take an oath to a king, a queen, a person, a tyrant, a dictator, a country or a religion,” Kahele said. “We are the only country in the world whose military takes an oath to an idea enshrined in a document, a document called the Constitution of the United States of America at the birth of our nation. When the founding fathers drafted this document, they opened it with these lines ‘in order to form a more perfect union.’ The authors knew at the time that this new nation was not a perfect union. And since then, we have fought a civil war, fought two world wars and added 27 amendments to strive to make this nation a more perfect union.

“Members of our military, those who have served and are serving today, take an oath to protect, support, defend, and, if required, give their life to an idea — a very powerful idea built into our Constitution,” he said. “What it says is that you and I, no matter who you are, male or female, does not matter. Whether you are gay, or straight, black, white, Asian, or native Hawaiian. It does not matter what your last name is, the country of origin, your skin color, whether you are rich or poor. It does not matter. What matters is you are an American. Every single one of us are born free and equal. A nation where you can achieve anything you want to be that you are judged by the content of your character, your competence, your work ethic, not by the color of your skin. That is who we honored today. Those veterans who served and are serving in our Armed Forces and who fought in our nation’s wars. We honor their service and their sacrifice to our nation and our constitution. We honor their families, their husbands and wives, sons and daughters, for their service and sacrifice.”

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, posted on his Facebook account that honoring veterans “requires more than kinds words of gestures.”

“Veterans and their families have real needs, and we have a moral, social and financial obligation to be there for them,” he said. “Whether it’s finally delivering health care and benefits to veterans exposed to toxic substances or correcting service records for gay veterans who were unjustly forced out of the military, we must continue to make good on our promises to take care of those who have served our country — today and every day.”

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono highlighted congressional efforts to provide for veterans in Hawaii and across the country.

“We’ve expanded the care for millions of post-9/11 veterans and increased mental health care for our veterans,” Hirono said. “The PACT Act has already helped veterans like the Honolulu resident who submitted a (Veterans Administration) claim prior to the last passage, but was denied after the PACT Act was signed into law. His condition became covered by the VA and my office was able to help get his claim granted.

“Here in Hawaii, we are advancing construction of a Daniel K. Akaka Outpatient Clinic on Oahu, which will serve veterans across our state,” she continued. “We must continue building on this progress to help ensure all of our veterans can access the benefits they’ve earned. As a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, I’m working to provide the VA with the resources they need to continue delivering for our veterans. I’ll keep fighting to ensure all of our veterans and their families receive the support they deserve.”

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii.