Members of New Hampshire’s congressional delegation and Governor Kelly Ayotte addressed residents at the New Hampshire Veterans Home on Tuesday morning, thanking the veterans who live there for their service.
Currently, 150 former members of the U.S. military live at the home. Some of the oldest veterans there served in World War II, while the youngest resident fought in the Gulf War.
Veterans Home Commandant Kim MacKay said Veterans Day is a time to reflect on the “price of liberty.”
“Every day, we get to call 150 veterans our family,” MacKay said. “We want to recognize them while they’re here.”
One resident, Leo Leclerc, said Veterans Day has a particular meaning to him as a Vietnam veteran.
“I’m from the generation who didn’t get welcomed back,” he said. “Veterans Day, to me, means that finally we’re getting the recognition that we justly deserved.”
U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan focused her remarks on the contributions of veterans during their civilian lives, including Edwin Hubble, who transformed scientific knowledge of space. She also noted the work of New Hampshire veterans who took on projects like cleaning up local spaces and helping firefighters with PTSD.
“The rest of us, we can't fully replicate the service of America's heroes, but we can follow their example and be better citizens,” Hassan said.
Ayotte spoke about her husband’s service in the Air Force, and thanked veterans and their families. She also said she believes veterans are a model for moving through national division.
“You show us what unity means and what it means to be an American,” Ayotte said. “You come from all different walks of life, different backgrounds, different states, and you've joined different services, but when you're on the battlefield, you are together as one.”
Ayotte issued an executive order this week directing state agencies to interview all qualified veterans and their family members who submit applications for state jobs. She said the state would prioritize hiring veterans to help ease their transition to the workforce, and encouraged businesses and municipalities to do the same.
