Today we remember and honor the lives of those lost in service to our country.

Among them is Corporal Tristan Southworth of Walden, a son of Vermont and of my new colleague Rep. Michael Southworth. Tristan was just 21 when he was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2010. A member of the Vermont National Guard’s 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, he represented the courage, commitment, and sense of duty we so often see in young Vermonters.

This Day Is for the Fallen

Memorial Day is the one day we set aside each year to consider, fully, what it costs to be a free people. It is a day to confront the reality that our freedom has come at the cost of real lives, of sons and daughters who will never come home.

As we reflect on the cost of defending American ideals, we must also look to those who have survived our wars—those who returned home carrying wounds, trauma, and moral injury.

In Vermont, we know the burdens many of our veterans continue to carry. We know that veteran suicide rates remain higher than those of the general population. And we know that exposure to toxic burn pits has led to long-term health complications for countless servicemembers.

That is why Vermonters continue to work together to promote the Vermont Burn Pit Registry, to raise awareness, and to help veterans access the health screenings and care they have earned. We cannot allow the invisible costs of war to remain hidden.

If you are a veteran—or if you’re worried about one—please reach out. There is confidential, no-cost help available 24/7 through the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 (Press 1), by texting 838255, or by visiting veteranscrisisline.net.

~ Rep. Laura Sibilia