HEY MR. POSTMAN, LOOK AND SEE

DON’T GIVE UP THE SHIP

How one of the US Navy’s traditions relate to the current political environment

THE OATH

“I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. (optional) So help me God.”

AND HE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER

Incumbent-Senator Mark Kirk faced challenger Representative Tammy Duckworth in the Illinois Senate debate on back in October.

There were two statements that stood out.

TRADITION AND HERITAGE

"WE ARE AMERICA"

Celebrate the diversity that makes America, America. Share this video to show #WeAreAmericahttps://t.co/rRnUyxZ4ET

— John Cena (@JohnCena) July 4, 2016

VETERANS DAY 2015

PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNS THE CLAY HUNT SUICIDE PREVENTION FOR AMERICAN VETERANS ACT

COLBERT/KLAY

Phil Klay was The Colbert Report's final interview on Wednesday night.

Klay is a Marine and served in Iraq as a Public Affairs Officer from January 2007 to February 2008. His book "Redeployment" is a collection of short stories about experiences our troops have faced in a decade of war.

COLBERT/DUCKWORTH (7 October 2014)

COLBERT/ODIERNO (8 June 2009)

The Colbert Report
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SUPPORT THE TROOPS*

Tuesday was Veterans' Day and it has come and gone with the usual fanfare of parades and tributes.

If this is your first time visiting my corner of the Internet, a brief piece about my background. I served in the United States Navy from 2002-08. I was a nuclear mechanical operator stationed aboard the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) from 2004-08. I did a deployment to the Persian Gulf in 2005. Upon my return to the states, I was in the Virginia shipyards for the remainder of my brief Navy career. During my time in Virginia, I played a role in assisting the ship during Reactor Complex Overhaul (RCOH) where we took out the two nuclear reactors and replaced them with two brand new ones along with performing other critical maintenance that extended the life of the ship for another quarter of a century.

I am passionate about Veterans issues ranging from ensuring that our benefits are honored and finding ways to improve upon them to my small efforts to help repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and that ALL military families are recognized to ensuring that we continue a responsible drawdown from Afghanistan and make sure that we use our military and other instruments of foreign policy responsibly.

In the past year, Veterans issues have been in the spotlight.

JOHN PHILLIP SOUSA'S 150TH BIRTHDAY

MEET JONI ERNST

This is Joni Ernst.

She is the Republican candidate for the US Senate in Iowa.

She won the nomination by easily clearing the 35% threshold to avoid the process being decided at the state convention.

Her positions are for the lack of a better word unique.

STAR-SPANGLED BANNER'S 200TH BIRTHDAY

Full text provided below and via Dictionary.com.

PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNS THE VETERANS ACCESS, CHOICE, AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

SIX AND SIX

RACHEL MADDOW: "SHAMELESS LIP SERVICE"

NATURALIZATION CEREMONY AT THE WHITE HOUSE

Yesterday President Obama oversaw the naturalization of 16 members of the armed forces, two veterans, and seven military spouse.

Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas delivered the oath of citizenship. He told the story of his own path to American citizenship. Mayorkas came to this country as a Cuban refugee in 1960 fleeing Fidel Castro's communist takeover of the island nation. 13 years later, Mayorkas was naturalized and made a citizen of this country.

Ceremony provided below and by C-SPAN.

UNITED NEWS REPORTS D-DAY (6 June 1944)