Sen. LaTonya Johnson Honors National POW/MIA Recognition Day

MADISON – Today is National POW/MIA Recognition Day, a day meant to honor the sacrifices of United States service members who were held or continue to be held in captivity as Prisoners of War or who remain Missing in Action. This day recognizes the profound courage and determination required of all current and former American service members, and honor the remarkable bravery and resilience of all POW/MIA personnel, as well as the sacrifices of their family, friends, and loved ones. State Senator LaTonya Johnson offered the following comments about POW/MIA Recognition Day:

“As a nation, and as a state, we have a duty to our service members to obtain a full accounting for personnel who remain missing. That is why I was utterly disappointed when the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee stripped the proposed state budget of funding for the UW MIA Recovery and Identification Project (UW MIA RIP). As the only state organization dedicated to the recovery of missing US military personnel from past conflicts they help bring closure to families of the missing. Republican leaders promised funding for this program outside of the state budget, but adjourned before ever fulfilling this promise to the families who continue to wait for answers about their lost loved ones.

“Whether it be recovery for POW/MIA service members or veterans who have returned home from service Wisconsin must show a commitment to those who serve in our armed forces. Half of all POW and 13.5% of all our returned soldiers develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, which can persist throughout their life. Tragically, some of these veterans will go missing, and in the worst cases, be found dead. This is why I worked with my colleagues to pass a bill authorizing our nation’s first Green Alert system, which notifies the public when an at-risk veteran has gone missing. Since passing this law, the Green Alert has been activated over 32 times in Wisconsin. When a life is on the line, every second counts.

“On today’s POW/MIA Recognition Day, remember and honor the bravery and sacrifice of our service members. Remember, too, that whether people go missing here or abroad, we have a duty to support our veterans and their families whenever we can.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.