Those congressmen and women who have served in the military prior to government service, make, in essence, better politicians, Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., told "Spicer & Co." on Newsmax.
“In the 1970s, 75% of the Congress were veterans. today it's at 18%, now 82% of the Congress from which Vice President Harris came from as a senator, haven't served- and you know, I got to tell you-when you're willing to die for that flag at a very early age, then you’re often willing on both sides of the aisle to come together, make the tough choices, the tough compromises and make the tough votes,” he said.
The decorated Green Beret National Guard Colonel went on to discuss his opinion about what Memorial Day means to him.
“You know it's very personal for me. I was at a number of ceremonies today across the state of Florida and northeast Florida, one of which was with one of the very first Green Berets, 1961 African American Sergeant Melvin Morris, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions, to spend time with him to talk about the Green Berets that he lost in Vietnam, the ones that that I was not able to bring home from Afghanistan,” he said.
I lost a lot of friends who gave their lives for this country, he said.
“Sergeant First Class Brian Woods, Staff Sergeant Pacino, you know these are real people. These are people that aren't able to spend today with their families, so honoring them — honoring the ones that we're still losing right now to suicide every day and honoring those Gold Star families who are without their loved ones is what today's all about.”
The former Pentagon director of Afghan Policy continued, “in my charge to all of the groups that I spoke to today was twofold. One, keep serving. Find ways to keep serving your community, your country, your neighbor, and that's why I'm pushing us to get back to national service. I think that will change America by far for the better, and two is to be worthy. You know, I wear one of these bracelets. Every day for one of the Green Berets that I lost. I look in the mirror every day before I go into the Capitol and tell myself, ‘be worthy of their sacrifice of those that didn't make it home, and those that are still out there.’”
Waltz concluded, “today is a very sad and solemn day for those of us who didn't bring our comrades back home.”
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