Like all Americans, I am thankful to all of our veterans for the sacrifices they have made to keep our nation safe and free.
 
Since 2008, it has been my honor to serve as a board member for Honor Flight South Dakota, an organization that flies World War II veterans to Washington DC to visit the WWII Memorial on the National Mall.  The level of support that Honor Flight has achieved demonstrates the gratitude that South Dakotans feel for our veterans, and I am proud that thousands of South Dakotans have stepped forward to be a part of this effort.
 
On many occasions, in my role as Lieutenant Governor, I have had the honor of speaking at National Guard activation ceremonies.  In more solemn circumstances, I have also represented our state at funerals for our servicemen who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.  These events are a somber reminder of the risks that every veteran has taken to protect our freedom.  State and federal governments should honor the commitment of our veterans by fulfilling our obligations to them.
 
As Governor, I will place a high priority on working with veterans’ organizations, openly discussing their concerns, and ensuring that state government is responsive to the needs of all veterans.  State government makes a mistake when it fails to meet this standard.
 
I will support creating a separate, cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs.  Many veterans’ organizations believe that a cabinet-level department would be more responsive to the needs of veterans, and I support this as a common-sense way to improve services to veterans.
 
I also agree that all officials within Veterans Affairs should be veterans who have only honorable discharges.  Our veterans have served us with honor and distinction, and those who work on their behalf should meet that same standard.