Nesbitt lauds service of
'wounded warriors' at Decatur ceremony

Major Gen. Terry Nesbitt lauded the extraordinary health care services received by returning OIF/OEF veterans on Saturday, September 6, 2008 during the VA’s "Yellow Ribbon Welcome Home" event held at the First Baptist Church in Decatur.

The event brought together returning veterans from across Atlanta and helped to underscore the significant work being accomplished by the staff and volunteers at the VA in dealing with both the physical and emotional wounds of combat.

Nesbitt told the gathering of more than 100, several in wheelchairs and showing obvious results of combat injuries, "You are all America’s heroes," and each of you deserves the finest healthcare this nation has to offer."

"As I stand here today, our forces, many of whom you served with, are still answering freedom’s call, "said Nesbitt. "Our brave comrades--men and women, have stood in harm’s way without flinching, and without questioning the mission. Unfortunately, some of our finest have come home shattered by war. That is why today I want to commend their bravery and laud their families’ courage."

Nesbitt went on to applaud the VA’s "Wounded Warrior" program which the Veterans Administration and the Military has in place for returning soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.

Under the VA’s Warrior Care and Transition plan a program," he continued, " we are committing our finest resources as a nation, and as a service to provide compassionate, quality care to our military wounded.

Nesbitt briefly noted reliance upon the National Guard and Reserve in the current conflicts as ‘unprecedented’ and reflects a significant portion of the total deployed force in any given month. According to the DOD, Nesbitt noted the continued reliance on the 1.8 million National Guard and reserve troops will continue well into the foreseeable future." Fully half of OIF and OEF veterans are members of the Guard or Reserves."

A color guard from the Youth Challenge Academy highlighted the afternoon’s events and more than one hundred members of the State Defense Force helped coordinate the traffic.