🇺🇸 Iowa Has Our Veterans’ Backs

Monday was Veterans Day at the Iowa State Fair, and we spent the day recognizing the Iowans who continue putting service before self. 

To start the morning, we honored three brave Iowans with the Iowa Medal of Merit: 

🇺🇸 Taylor Comer made history as the first enlisted woman in the Iowa Army National Guard to complete infantry OSUT and has spent the years since opening the door for others. 

🪖 Justin Rolf returned home after being injured on active duty and chose to keep serving and mentoring the next generation of Iowa soldiers. 

🎖️ Chuck Thompson served during Vietnam and has spent the last decade helping Dallas County veterans access care, benefits, and housing. 

We also recognized Don Richardson and Shane Pankone, who continue to serve by helping fellow veterans navigate the VA and get the benefits and care they earned. 

These are exactly the Iowans we brought VA Secretary Doug Collins to hear from. ⬇️

Why it matters: Nobody knows where the VA is working and where it’s falling short better than those who rely on it. We brought Secretary Collins to Iowa to hear those experiences firsthand and take Iowa veterans’ priorities directly to the top of the VA. 

Then, we joined generations of Iowa veterans on the Grand Concourse for the State Fair Veterans Day Parade, where thousands of Iowans came out to honor those who answered our nation’s call. 

We saw that same spirit as our community came together to give Marine Cpl. Brandon Berhow-Goll, a Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient, the keys to a new car — helping give back some everyday freedom to someone who sacrificed so much to defend ours.

Bottom Line: From honoring service at the Fair to bringing the VA Secretary directly to Iowa veterans, we’re making sure those who served have a voice at the highest level. Iowa has their backs, and I’ll make sure Washington does too.