Indianz.Com > News > Rep. Tom Cole: Paying tribute to our Native veterans
A Debt of Gratitude
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Throughout American history, millions of brave men and women have selflessly answered the call to protect our freedom and preserve liberty by serving in the military. While numerous individuals have fought for the great cause of freedom, it wasn’t until after World War I that the United States first set apart a special day just to say, “thank you.” This week on Veterans Day, we honor and remember our veterans for their awe-inspiring display of courage, sacrifice and devotion.
Indeed, whether it’s a friend or family member, each of us knows someone who has served or is still serving our country in the military. I often think of the amazing veterans in my own family, including my late uncle and namesake who survived the infamous Bataan Death March as a prisoner of war during World War II. I am also tremendously proud of the service rendered by my late father, who joined the Army Air Corps on the eve of World War II, later retiring as the second most senior master sergeant in the Air Force and renown as one of the best to run a crew that fixed airplanes.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than 17.4 million veterans currently living in the United States, including more than 306,000 in our communities across the state of Oklahoma. Considering the significant military presence in Oklahoma, including at the Fourth District’s own Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City and Fort Sill in Lawton, it’s also worth recognizing that thousands more Americans are currently serving on active duty.
![National Native American Veterans Memorial](https://indianz.com/News/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/nnavm-scaled.jpg)
![](https://indianz.com/News/2019/05/30/tomcole.jpg)
Tom Cole, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, is serving
his eighth term in Congress as the elected representative of Oklahoma’s 4th
Congressional District. He is recognized as an advocate for taxpayers and small
business, a proponent for a strong national defense and a leader in promoting
biomedical research. He is considered the foremost expert in the House on issues
dealing with Native Americans and tribal governments. He and his wife, Ellen,
have one son, Mason, and reside in Moore, Oklahoma.
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