Ernst, Hinson call to honor American heroes in Afghanistan

(Washington, D.C.) -- After nearly 20 years of U.S. occupation in Afghanistan, August saw the withdrawal of all U.S. troops and the majority of U.S. citizens from the Middle Eastern country.

According to numbers from the Brown University Costs of War project, through April of this year, over 2,400 service members had lost their life fighting one of the longest wars in American history, with 13 soldiers losing their lives in the attack on the Kabul Airport during the withdrawal. Iowa Senator, Joni Ernst, along with Iowa congresswoman Ashley Hinson, are leading the call to Congress to honor American heroes of the Afghanistan War. Ernst, a veteran herself, says she wants to make sure the veterans of the Afghanistan War know they are appreciated.

"I know that there are so many of my fellow veterans that are hurting," Ernst said. "They've just seen these horrible images on television of our hasty and haphazard withdrawal from Afghanistan, and I want them to know and understand that America is grateful for their service. That we appreciate the fact that they have given so much to keep our country safe over the last 20 years."

Ernst and Hinson have put forth a resolution both in the Senate, and the House of Representatives, to recognize the armed forces, diplomats, and humanitarians that have given their service. Fellow Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley as well as Iowa Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Randy Feenstra have also provided their co-sponsors.

Ernst says it has been difficult to see the number of service members that have suffered, including several from the southwest Iowa region.

"Whether it is with our Iowa Army National Guardsmen, whether it is up until the evacuation, Corporal Daegan Page, who originally came from Montgomery County," Ernst said. "There are so many that gave the ultimate sacrifice. There are many veterans that I have served with, and others have served with, that spent not just a year, but many years serving overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Among the 13 service members killed in the Kabul Airport attack was Marine Corporal Daegan Page, who attended high school in Omaha, but also had ties to Montgomery County. Ernst has spoken with his grandmother, Peggy Tye, on a number of occasions.

"One thing that I can say, he loved being a Marine," Ernst said. "His grandma had told me, 'just remind everybody please, what an amazing young man he was.' He had served in the Boy Scouts because he loved helping other people, and he took that service from a young age and then joined the Marine Corps. There he was able to serve not only his community, but his country as a whole. That's what he was doing in those final days."

Ernst says Page lived a life of service and knew his life calling was to be a Marine, despite knowing what can come with it. A Celebration of Life service  is scheduled for Page at 10 a.m. Friday.

For the service members who survived the war, but are still hurting, Ernst has been calling on the Veterans Affairs Office to make sure they are providing adequate services.

"They need to make sure that they have the appropriate number of counselors that are available, that those hotlines are being manned appropriately, and that they are offering the right level of behavioral health and mental health services," Ernst said. "Because so many veterans, because they are hurting, they may consider things, and we want them to know that it is okay to say you need help, or that you're confused about a situation."

Ernst says veterans seeking help can go to the Veterans Affairs website where there is a crisis hotline. She adds "OneSource" is also a website for veterans that lists the services available to them.