The Hill: Support America’s veterans every day by investing in development and diplomacy
Tim Farrell, CEO of the National Association of Veteran-Serving Organizations (NAVSO)

“…As Americans, it is important we honor the sacrifices of servicemembers not just on Veterans Day, but every day, by continuing to invest in the diplomatic and development efforts bringing stability, security — and ideally peace — to more corners of our world. Most veterans I meet agree: American’s investment in diplomacy and development pays significant dividends for our troops and our nation. … While America’s military force gets most of the attention — and deservedly so — the dedicated civilians serving our State Department and managing American aid programs truly serve as a largely unsung first line of defense: keeping deadly diseases from reaching our shores, tackling the drivers of migration, and supporting efforts to resolve conflict and instability without military intervention. These efforts, which include renowned successes like our PEPFAR program in Africa and the Marshall plan that rebuilt Europe, represent a tremendous cost savings over military deployment. … That’s why fostering stability and security around the globe must remain a bipartisan priority, if only to create the continued environment for improved national and economic security here at home. … The only way to do that is to keep funding the diplomatic and development capabilities that rely on our international affairs budget…” (11/10).