Maine — Yesterday evening, President Donald Trump declared November 2018 the second annual National Veterans and Military Families Month to “salute the brave and dedicated patriots who have worn the uniform of the United States, and…celebrate the extraordinary military families whose selfless service and sacrifice make our military the finest in the world.”
That tradition continues again this year with more than 300 events at VA hospitals, benefits offices and cemeteries across the country.
Locally, VA Maine HCS will hold the following events honoring Veterans and their families throughout the month of November:
- Prayer for Healing event in the Chapel on November 1, 2018
- Veterans Canteen Service Special Ceremony, Café at 2:00 p.m., November 9, 2018
- Veterans Day Celebration – 8:00 a.m., Togus Campus, November 12, 2018
- Community Living Center Events for our residents November 9th & 16th, 2018
- Food Drive: Distribution of food to local food pantries, Nov. 8th & 9th, 2018
- Town Hall for Veterans in Aroostook County, 7:00 p.m., Caribou, ME, Nov. 29, 2018
- Suicide Prevention Engagement Initiative for Veterans during the holidays
This year’s celebration of Veterans and Military Families Month caps an unprecedented period of improvement for VA, as the department has made groundbreaking progress over the last two years in the areas of accountability, transparency and efficiency across the department while enjoying an important series of legislative successes.
“At VA, Veterans and their families are at the center of everything we do. Veterans and Military Families Month is an opportunity for us to honor the service of these patriots while educating communities about VA benefits and services and our commitment to customer service improvement,” VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said.
“We want our heroes to feel cared for in every way by celebrating them, praying with them, to soon offering them room service with real-time menu options. We regularly visit with Veterans and families in the hallways to find out how their experience is and what we can do to improve it. Soon, we will have the first ever Fisher House in Maine where Veterans’ families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving treatment.” Interim Medical Center Director Dan Dücker said.
The full list of national events for Veterans and Military Families month is available at this link.
