The following originally appeared as an op-ed in the Ely Times. -Staff

On Memorial Day Americans honor those who served when duty called and gave their lives for this country. We gather across the nation to pay our respects to our fallen heroes and mourn the loss of those brave soldiers who fought in defense of liberty. Equally important is remembering and honoring the veterans who are with us today, as well as praying for the safe return of the young men and women of our Armed Forces currently in harm's way.

Memorial Day was first observed in May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. Since that time Memorial Day has grown to honor all of the men and women who have died in service to our country. Today as our military continues to fight terror overseas, America thanks our soldiers and their families who make sacrifices every day to protect our great nation. Knowing we can never fully repay their sacrifice, we honor their memories, thank their families, and keep our current military men and women in our thoughts and prayers. Soldiers have fought for a better America and served our nation with honor and so we will not forget their service and sacrifices for our country.

As we reflect on the sacrifices our military men and women have made to keep our country safe, I wanted to offer my personal assistance to service members and veterans in need of help. My office has assisted hundreds of military members and veterans with a variety of issues since coming to Congress, and offers personal assistance to service members and veterans on healthcare, retirement benefits, and other VA-related issues to name a few. I often help service members and veterans with compensation and pensions, survivor benefits claims, and medical treatment for both veterans and their dependents. My office has helped many Nevadans obtain lost military records, expedite disability claims, correct military records, and obtained medals for individuals who had yet to receive them.

My goal is to provide every Nevadan with prompt, efficient, and professional service. I invite my fellow Nevadans to contact me whenever you are in need of assistance.

Once again, I want to thank our brave men and women and their families for their service to our nation and wish them the very best on Memorial Day.