Military Appreciation Month has been observed throughout May across the nation, and I was privileged to attend a number of events around the First District honoring these patriots. I enjoyed cheering on the runners and meeting a number of exceptional Marines and community leaders at the recent Marine Corps Historic Half marathon in Fredericksburg. The Historic Half is a fantastic opportunity for the community to join together in support of our military, and our local businesses and attractions certainly benefit from the arrival of many visitors to the Fredericksburg area. Later that day, I saw the same outpouring of community support for the military at the annual Some Gave All Foundation Memorial Motorcycle Ride in King George, which honors the memories of Army Sgt. Nicholas Conan Mason of King George and Marine Sgt. Joshua James Frazier of Spotsylvania, both of whom lost their lives in the line of duty in Iraq. The West Point community also honored a number of patriotic citizens over the weekend at a Vietnam War Veterans event hosted by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The spirit of service and the memories of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice are a constant presence in our region. Our men and women in uniform – past and present – inspire me each and every day as I make decisions in Washington that impact the military, from debating training programs and selecting equipment to strengthening TRICARE and military housing programs. Memorial Day is a timely reminder of the sacrifices that many of our fellow citizens have made to defend our freedoms, and I am truly honored to serve the military men and women and their families who have served our great nation.

In addition to being Military Appreciation Month, May is National Foster Care Month. Nearly 400,000 children are in foster care nationwide, and while the system has made great strides in lowering the number of months a child is in foster care by making permanency the priority, 25,000 children still “age out” of the system every year without finding a forever family. As a child of adoption myself, I know how instrumental the loving, supportive environment of a permanent family is to our youth. If you are thinking about expanding your family, I encourage you to consider foster care as a way to give hope to some of our nation’s most vulnerable children. And if you have questions about this process, or about any issues important to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

The main streets of Virginia’s First District are full of ideas to get our economy back on track, and your feedback is critically important to me as I serve you. I can be reached by telephone at (202) 225-4261, through my website (www.wittman.house.gov), on Facebook (www.facebook.com/reprobwittman), and via Twitter (www.twitter.com/robwittman).

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