Memorial Day Ceremony Honors the Brave Men and Women Who Have Served in the Armed Forces
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. –-(ENEWSPF)–May 26, 2015. Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) today honored Sergeant Lee Seimer at a Memorial Day ceremony in Arlington Heights. Sgt. Seimer, of Genoa, Ill., served as a National Guard combat medic in Afghanistan in 2009. Senator Kirk thanked Sgt. Seimer for over seven years of service to the United States, including the sacrifice he made during his 2009 tour.
“To be able to stand with an Illinois soldier like Lee is one of the greatest privileges of being a Senator,” Senator Kirk said. “Today is about understanding that the United States of America is no accident. It was created by Americans going to a battlefield and giving it all.”
In July 2009, Sgt. Seimer was injured during a night mission in the mountain region of Najil. While raiding houses to eliminate enemy strong holds, Sgt. Seimer lost his footing and fell off a cliff side. The impact knocked Sgt. Seimer unconscious, resulting in a traumatic brain injury (TBI). He also sustained significant trauma to his right ankle, left foot and hip. Sgt. Seimer is currently serving in the Illinois National Guard 710th Army Medical Corps in Riverside, Ill. This year he will be medically retired.
The 96th Annual Tribute to Veterans also honored the 58 heroes from Arlington Heights who died serving their country and local veterans who have passed away in the past year.
This week, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved on a bipartisan basis legislation authored by Senator Kirk, who is chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, to fund veterans care at record levels and reform the VA to protect whistleblowers who report mistreatment of veterans.
Source: kirk.senate.gov
