Since today (November 12) is the day set aside to “observe” Veterans Day, I think it is a good day to “observe” the veterans serving in Congress, or the lack of veterans serving in Congress.

As I write this, my flag is flying proudly in the stiff Montana breeze on the front of my home.

When we approach Veterans Day and Memorial Day, we hear and see many of our elected officials give speeches, introduce legislation, or attend ceremonies. Most of that is just “window dressing” as they will give the politician’s line like, “It’s time to live up to our commitment to the veteran, making sure they get what they deserve, blah, blah, blah.”

Some of these folks will call us “Vets.” That may not bother some veterans to hear the use of this informal term, but I have always believed that “Vets” work on animals and Veterans give you freedom and liberty. But that’s just me.

Most of us veterans understand what you are doing. With the current set of politicians we have in Congress, it is getting harder for veterans to have much representation. Of course, many of our elected officials who never cared to serve in the military will say, “My (insert relative’s name here) served in the (insert branch of service here) and I totally support veterans.”

Yes, that brings you up a level or two with veterans. NOT. Maybe you were caught in the moment and burnt your draft card in the 60s. Maybe you took over daddy’s business, or you went the college route. Heck, maybe you were just, shall we say, chicken?

Although many of the records have not been updated since 2006, I did some research on the web and found there are approximately 29 veterans serving in the 100 member U.S. Senate. There are approximately 92 veterans serving the in the 435 member House of Representatives.

There are 29 members of House Veterans Affairs Committee, 16 Democrats and 13 Republicans. Only six are veterans. Six! I don’t believe the Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee is a veteran. The ranking member is.

The U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs has 15 members. Only six are veterans. The Chairman is a veteran. The ranking member is not. The Republicans have four of the six veterans on the committee.

Of course, my research may not be perfect, but one would think that a committee that’s called the House or Senate “Committee on Veterans Affairs” would have a majority of veterans serving on them. But not in Washington, D.C.

By the way, the 100,000+ Montana veterans have no veterans representing them in Congress.

So, after reading all this some of you are probably saying, “So what?” The “So what” to me is that these folks have the vote. They vote for or against our benefits. They vote on funding. They make decisions about war. It seems to me that someone who has “been there – done that” just might have a little better understanding of the military, as well as veterans and defense issues. A veteran in Congress just might understand a little better the effect a certain vote might have on a military person or veteran’s family, career, and future.

But that’s not the case in Congress.

Of course, these politicians could always ask their (insert relative who served in the military here) opinion.

That’s not the way to better serve our nation’s veterans, and it needs to be changed.