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Purple Heart Hall of Honor...
Forever Honoring
Those Who Have Served
By State Senator Keith Faber
Residents of the 12th Senate District require no reminder in
recognizing the high price that has been paid so that Ohioans can enjoy
the benefits of freedom. For centuries now, young men and women
from around this area, across the state and throughout our beloved
nation have been answering the call to defend the liberties that so
many of us often take for granted. Their service and selfless
sacrifice are a tribute to the dearly held ideals of all American and
they are most worthy of our praise and admiration.
I recently had the pleasure of meeting with representatives from The
National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, New York.
Originally opened in November 2006, the Hall of Honor’s mission is to
commemorate Americans who have been killed or wounded in combat by
researching and collecting their own personal stories. The Purple
Heart has been used since World War I as a way to recognize those who
have made physical sacrifices while defending this great country of
ours. Moreover, the distinction’s history has been traced back to
the days of George Washington who established the Badge of Military
Merit to honor valiant and courageous acts committed during the
Revolutionary War.
With that said, if you, a family member or a close friend have received
a Purple Heart while serving in our nation’s armed forces, I encourage
you to take appropriate steps to register it through the Hall of
Honor. By doing so, you will play an important role in making
sure that future generations pay proper tribute to the sacrifice and
service of the men and women who came before them. I invite all
of you to visit http://www.thepurpleheart.com/faqs/ for additional
information on how to register your commendation with The National
Purple Heart Hall of Honor.
Thus far, those working behind-the-scenes at the Hall of Honor have
identified 1.7 million servicemen and women who have been either killed
or wounded in battle and have also managed to formally recognize more
than 165,000 Purple Heart recipients from nearly every state in the
country.
The planners and staff of The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor are
currently exploring plans to expand their memorial and further
commemorate those who have fought our nation’s battles.
Legislation has also been introduced in the Ohio House of
Representatives that would declare Ohio as the nation’s first “Purple
Heart State,” officially honoring our combat wounded veterans for their
service and sacrifice.
As the upcoming summer will be marked with annual observances of
Memorial Day and July 4th, Ohioans will have ample opportunity to show
gratitude for those who have served our nation. However, our
appreciation for these heroes must never be limited to a handful of
holidays each year. Their journeys and actions are to remain in
our hearts and minds each day.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have
questions or concerns about any of the matters we are considering at
the Statehouse. I can be reached by phone at (614) 466-7584, by
e-mail at Faber@ohiosenate.gov or by writing me at State Senator Keith
Faber, Ohio Statehouse, One Capitol Square, Columbus, Ohio 43215.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Senator Faber represents Ohio’s 12th Senate District which includes
Allen, Champaign, Mercer, Preble, and Shelby Counties, as well as
portions of Auglaize and Darke Counties. He currently serves as
President Pro Tempore of the Ohio Senate.
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