By U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud(D-Maine)
Mainers have a proud tradition of greeting troops at the Bangor International Airport. They are there, day or night, to welcome our troops home or see them off. All told, hundreds of thousands of troops have shaken the hands of Mainers and been greeted with heartfelt thanks. The story of three of those troop greeters, Joan Gaudet, Bill Knight and Jerry Mundy, is masterfully told in the award winning documentary “The Way We Get By.” I recently had the honor of joining Maine’s congressional delegation in hosting a screening of the film on Capitol Hill. I invited fellow members of Congress to see the film that features what many of them have heard about from their own deployed constituents who have been touched by the actions of our troop greeters.
During my trips to Iraq and Afghanistan, troops there would find out that I was from Maine and relay how much they appreciated the handshakes, well wishes, and help that the troop greeters provided them during their travel through Bangor. Having participated in numerous troop greetings over the years, I have seen first hand how these modest gestures can put a smile on a soldier’s face or a tear of gratitude in their eye.
The “The Way We Get By” is a film about the troop greeters. But is also about what individual actions can do to make a difference. It also serves as a reminder to us all on the toll that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken on our soldiers and their families. We are proud of their service and we must do all that we can to support them.
I was pleased that this year, for the first time in history, Congress provided the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with advanced funding for health care services. This will ensure that health care benefits are delivered in the most efficient and effective way to our veterans. Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta will benefit from this legislation and allow them to better plan, expand and ultimately improve health care for our veterans in Maine. This advanced funding, along with a substantial increase in overall funding, will help ensure that we honor the service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes.
The transition from soldier to veteran can be an extremely difficult one. This film is an inspiration and a reminder to us all that we must continue to enhance outreach efforts to our troops and their families. Mainers in the Bangor area are doing their own special part and so too are thousands around our state and country.
I am pleased that Washington gave our troop greeters and the people who helped make the film possible a warm welcome. “The Way We Get By” will air on PBS on Veterans’ Day. It has been inspiring audiences across the country and is a fitting tribute to those here in Maine who have dedicated themselves to thanking our men and women in uniform for their service.
