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depth of my gratitude towards our veterans and military personnel who are actively serving. I can't help but fill with pride as I travel across South Dakota and meet men and women who have bravely stepped up to defend this great country. In fact, over 72,000 veterans call South Dakota home and it is because of these heroes that families across our state can wake up in the greatest nation in the world.
• All of our nation's veterans deserve to be treated with the honor and respect they deserve, which is why I have and will continue to support legislation in Congress that assists veterans and honors their service. Recently, I cosponsored H.R. 685, the American Fighter Aces Congressional Gold Medal Act, which specifically honors our nation's fighter pilots. Fighter pilots are credited with destroying five or more confirmed enemy aircraft in aerial combat.
• More than 60,000 fighter pilots have served in the Armed Forces, but less than 1,500 have been honored with the prestigious title of Fighter Ace. Ten aces were born in South Dakota, including Governor Joseph "Joe" Foss, the second-highest scoring ace in the Marine Corps, and Cecil Harris, the second-highest scoring ace in (Continued on page 4)
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