WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), a senior member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, applauded the return of 94 Ohio National Guard men and women from Afghanistan. The soldiers from the 837th Engineer Company will be honored during a welcome home ceremony at Lorain High School today.
“These brave men and women of the Ohio National Guard helped make our country safer and the world a better place to live,” Brown said. “We owe each of them our gratitude and I wish them the best of luck in their return to home and their families.”
After completing specialized training at Fort Bliss, Texas, the Company deployed to Afghanistan where its mission was to support Operation Enduring Freedom conducting mobility support and route clearance operations, among other assignments.
Brown is the only Ohio Senator to serve a full term on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and is Co-Chair of the Senate Air Force Caucus. Last month, Brown announced that several key pieces of legislation he originally sponsored have passed the Committee. Elements of Brown’s State Veterans Home Homelessness Act and Veterans Services Outreach Act were incorporated into the Veterans Health Care Eligibility and Enhancement Act of 2013, which was passed by the Committee. The combined package also extends the enrollment time window for healthcare benefits for active duty, Reserve, and Guard servicemembers from five to 10 years following deployment.
Brown was unable to attend today’s ceremony due to votes in the Senate, but was represented by his Deputy State Director, Beth Thames.
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