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Hi. I'm State Representative Terry Brown. Welcome to my weekly update, "Talking With Terry."

During the second week of November each year, there is a lot of attention paid to our veterans as our nation observes Veterans Day. 

Wouldn't it be wonderful if this attention and honor were given to our veterans all year round?  Without the bravery and commitment of these honorable men and women, America would not be the great country it is.  The sacrifices our veterans have made must never be forgotten. Without them, we would not have the freedoms we enjoy including the right to vote, which Americans exercised in record numbers last week.

We are a nation that can freely choose its leaders ONLY because hundreds of thousands of veterans risked their lives over the years to keep our country free. Thousands of our fellow Americans, including more than 2,000 reservists from Michigan, are fighting for that freedom halfway around the world right now.

I find that young people, especially, tend to think of their grandfathers and other older folks when they hear the word "veteran." We should remember that there are veterans of all ages. There are young veterans, too – those who have returned from one or two or three deployments in Iraq or Afghanistan. Veterans of different ages and different circumstances may face different challenges. They all share a special bond, though – they have made a priceless and timeless contribution to our country. There is no way we can ever repay them or their families. Expressing our gratitude is the least we can do.

We must also do everything we can to ensure that our government provides the services and benefits that our veterans deserve. And we must make sure that our veterans can easily access those benefits, including health care and education assistance. The men and women who have served our country deserve to be treated with the highest respect, honor and gratitude.

If you are a veteran who is having difficulty accessing your benefits or resolving a related problem, I encourage you to contact my office. My staff and I will do everything we can to provide the information and advocacy necessary to help our veterans and military families. You can call my office, toll-free, at (888) 254-5284. Or, you can e-mail me at terrybrown@house.mi.gov.

Please also visit my Web site to learn about legislation I have sponsored or voted for to support our veterans. The address is house.mi.gov/tbrown.

And please remember, this week and every week, that when you see a veteran or a member of our armed forces who is currently serving our country … simply saying "Thank you for your service" goes a long way.

Thank you for listening to "Talking with Terry."

Make it a great day!