51�Թ�

Maine senator honored during Washington Conference for strong support for veterans legislation. 

After receiving 51�Թ�’s Distinguished Public Service Award during the organization’s Washington Conference in the nation’s capital, U.S. Sen. Angus King praised an earlier speaker during the conference’s Commander’s Call: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins.

And then King, who represents Maine as an Independent, explained the difference between Collins’ job and his own.

“Here’s what I want to say about the secretary: He’s dedicated to veterans,” King said. “He’s dedicated to doing the right thing for veterans, and he’s made some significant changes. I love the fact the wait times are going down. His job is to manage as best as he can.

“My job is to be a pain in the ass to him. And that’s what I intend to do. That’s the job of oversight and to be on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. To just be sure that all the work that needs to be done is being done for you.”

American Legion National Commander Dan K. Wiley presented King with the award, noting that as a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, he has championed issues that include the PACT Act and the Elizabeth Dole Act, as well as the reinstatement of GI Bill benefits for veterans who received less-than-honorable discharges due to experiencing sexual assault or domestic violence.

“He has co-sponsored numerous bipartisan bills to benefit those who served, including the provision of adaptive sports prosthesis for eligible veterans,” Wiley said. “In short, he has been there for 51�Թ� and our nation’s veterans.”

A graduate of Virginia Boys State, King gave a heartfelt thanks for being presented with the award. “What an honor this is. I’m not kidding,” he said. “This is one of the honors of my life. It’s something that will carry with me, and it just means so much because you mean so much to this country.

“When you (joined the military), you were putting your life on the line. You may not have been put in that position, but you were willing to do so. And that’s something that creates an enormous debt from this country to you and your brothers and sisters.”

During his remarks, King asked for American Legion support to assist servicemembers as they transition into the veteran world. His recently introduced TAP Promotion Act would allow accredited representatives from veterans service organizations or other organizations to participate in TAP classes to help transitioning servicemembers file Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) claims.

“I think the Department of Defense should spend as much for transitioning out as for recruiting in,” he said. “My vision is when someone leaves active duty, they’re met at the airport … from somebody from the VFW, the Legion, the DAV and to have a buddy. Have someone to help them in that transition. To have someone to tell them what all of the benefits and options are that they have. As you know, the first couple of years after leaving active duty are the years of maximum danger. Of suicide. Of self-harm. Falling out of society.

“So the transition is something that I’m going to continue to work on, and I want your help on that. You have been extremely helpful on these issues.”

King also spoke about those servicemembers currently at war in Operation Epic Fury. “We’re all thinking about those who are in harm’s way now,” he said. “We love them, we honor them and we respect them, and we just want to bring them home safe.”