We wish to offer a sincere “Thank you” to Governor Maura Healey, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Dr. Jon Santiago (Massachusetts’ first-ever Secretary of the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services) for affirming their commitment to veterans at last week’s ribbon-cutting for the new, state-of-the-art residential facility at the Chelsea Soldiers Home.
All three of our state officials — who were joined by Denis McDonough, the U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary in the Cabinet of President Joe Biden — spoke eloquently and movingly about the renewed dedication to the welfare of our state’s veterans, who all-too-often have been neglected at the national level and, during the pandemic, were neglected at our state’s veterans homes.
Senator Warren spoke emotionally about how her brother, who served 248 combat missions in Vietnam, succumbed to COVID-19, as did so many other veterans, because of the lack of care that they were afforded.
However, last Friday’s ribbon-cutting in Chelsea writes a new chapter for veterans in our state. We have no doubt that under the leadership of Governor Healey and Secretary Santiago, and with the support of Senator Warren and Secretary McDonough at the national level, our veterans will be treated with the respect and dignity that they rightly deserve for the sacrifices they have made for our country.