INDIANA — Veterans are using their voices to honor the fallen heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country this Memorial Day.
This holiday is more than just a barbecue or an extra day off work for these veterans; it is a profound time of reflection, reverence, and action.
"Remember those that gave their lives for others, for our freedoms," said Lisa Wilken, a United States Air Force veteran.
WRTV’s Naja Woods talked with her at a Veteran Memorial in Westfield.
Wilken’s feelings echo a common theme among veterans WRTV talked to who recognize the importance of honoring those who did not return home.
For many like Wilken, Memorial Day serves as a reminder of her year-round advocacy efforts.
"There’s so much to this weekend. This is a weekend of reverence, and we should be reverent, and we should be grateful," Wilken noted.
Wilken served from 1992 to 1996 and feels a strong sense of duty to advocate for those who will follow in her footsteps.
"I feel that it is my duty to pay it forward for those that come behind me because I stand on the shoulders of those that came before me."
Wilken's advocacy work spans the state of Indiana, particularly at the Statehouse, where she has championed key issues affecting veterans.
"We've advocated here in Indiana for things like tax exemption for military retirement pay and making sure that we have treatment for our traumatic brain injury and PTSD veterans," she explained. We've made sure that veterans are recognized for their service."
Support among veterans is crucial as everyone’s journey can be different, yet the message remains the same.
"The things I advocate have they gotten their benefits? If they don't have their benefits, I can help them find somebody that can assist them in getting them their benefits," said U.S. Air Force Veteran Dave Sassman, who’s also the vice president for the Veteran Support Council, and I'm on the board of directors for Indy Vet House.
Walt Schaub is a Vietnam Veteran who echoed a similar sentiment, telling WRTV, "We'll talk to them and kind of help them, instruct them, you know, how to get through some of the hurdles with the VA system."
Schaub is from St. Louis, but was in town for the Indy 500, something he’s bonded with Sassman over, along with their time in the service.
Their voices extend beyond advocacy for individual benefits; they also shed light on the significance of service on a larger scale. "We have to remember our ancestors year-round," Sassman said.
"I speak for those that can't speak, that didn't survive, and so that’s why this holiday is a special holiday,” added Wilken.
Through their advocacy, Wilken and her fellow veterans have made strides in passing legislation such as tax exemptions for veterans, tuition and fee programs for the children of disabled veterans, and increased recognition for female veterans.
