Fighting for Veterans
Throughout his career, Mark Critz has always made veterans a top priority. He was recognized for his service to our nation’s military when he was awarded the Patrick Henry Award by the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS). The Patrick Henry Award recognizes officials and civic leaders who distinguished themselves with outstanding and exceptional service to the Armed Forces of the United States and the National Guard. It is the highest civilian award issued by the National Guard.
Mark currently sits on the House Committee on Armed Services. Critz will work to ensure that veterans have the training they need to get high paying jobs when they re-enter civilian life, with access to adequate counseling and treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD) at every VA center in America. Congressman Critz passed his first piece of legislation with broad bipartisan support just one week after being sworn in, helping military families forced to relocate. Critz also voted for a 1.9 percent pay raise for the troops, extending TRICARE coverage to dependent children up to age 26, increasing hostile fire and imminent danger pay for the first time since 2004, and $7.2 billion for new, state-of-the-art equipment. Mark believes that our nation owes a profound debt to our veterans. He believes we cannot send men and women to war, but fail to support them when they return. That means making funding of veterans’ services a top priority, even in times when the budget deficit must be reduced. It also means providing adequate funding in order to reduce the backlog.
Mark will always stand up for servicemen and women, both when they’re serving overseas and after they return home. That’s why he supports common sense efforts to help our military personnel with job training and placement, like the Post-9/11 Veterans’ Job Training Act, that will make sure our veterans have good paying jobs after they complete their service. Since his election, Congressman Critz has formed a Veterans Advisory Committee to help me gain a first-hand understanding of the many difficult obstacles that they face in trying to obtain the services that they deserve. This panel is made up of service members of every rank from every conflict from Vietnam to even Afghanistan and Iraq.
Mark also believes our veterans returning home from combat must have access to counseling services to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). With many veterans having served multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, the instances of PTSD will continue to rise. This and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) are considered the “signature injuries” of our current conflicts. That’s why Mark supports a plan that makes treatment available at every VA Veterans’ Center in America and requires that every facility must be adequately staffed to ensure that veterans receive the quality of care they deserve.
VETERANS WHO PROUDLY ENDORSE CONGRESSMAN CRITZ
| NAME | SERVICE, CONFLICT |
| Alaimo, Joe | Navy, Vietnam |
| Amarose, Sam | Army, World War 2 |
| Anthony, Robert | Marines, Vietnam |
| Ball, Henry | Army, World War 2 |
| Balog, James | Army, Vietnam |
| Barckzak, Chris | Army, Iraq |
| Berkebile, Dan | Army and Navy, Cold War |
| Blizman, John | Army, Cold War |
| Casker, David | Navy, Vietnam era |
| Caulfield, Tom | Army, Vietnam |
| Cernic, Ed Senior | Army, Korea |
| Croyle, Toby | Army, Vietnam |
| Derr, John III | Army, Vietnam |
| Donnelly, Jack | Air Force, Vietnam |
| Dunn, Mike | Army, Desert Storm |
| Eyer, Bob | Army, Vietnam |
| Furlong, Joshua | Army, Afghanistan |
| Glover, Phil | Army, Grenada |
| Goas, Robert | Marines, WWII |
| Gray, Walter | Army, Cold War |
| Haberkorn, Tom | Air Force, Vietnam |
| Hugya, John | Marines, Korea |
| Jackson, Tom | Navy, Vietnam era |
| Jones, Conway | Air Force, Vietnam |
| Kasecky, Tom | Army, Cold War |
| Kelly, Brent | Army Reserves |
| Kintigh, Jerry | Air Force, Vietnam |
| Kovach, Thomas | Army, Iraq |
| Kuhar, Marty | Army, Vietnam |
| Latch, Joe | Army, World War 2, Korea |
| Lignelli, Mayor John | Navy, World War 2 |
| Lopresti, John | Army, Cold War |
| Mackin, Italo | Army, World War 2 |
| Maurer, Joseph | Marines, Iraq |
| May, Reed | Navy, World War 2 |
| McKinney, Warren | Army, Desert Storm |
| Neatrour, Paul | Army, Bosnia |
| Perry, Tony | Army, Cold War |
| Prah, Robert | Army, Iraq |
| Rolish, Craig | Air Force, Vietnam |
| Rozum, Walt | Army, Korea |
| Simmons, Greg | Navy, Cold War; Army, Cold War |
| Simmons, Polly | Coast Guard Cold War; Army, Iraq |
| Sposato, Greg | Army, Cold War |
| Taylor, Sam | Army, Iraq |
| Washington, Edward | Marines, Vietnam |
| Wojnaroski, Ed | Army, Cold War |
| Yasher, Jerry | Army, Vietnam |
| Alamo, Joe | Navy, Vietnam |
| Amarose, Sam | Army, World War 2 |
| Anthony, Robert | Marines, Vietnam |
| Ball, Henry | Army, World War 2 |
| Balog, James | Army, Vietnam |
| Barckzak, Chris | Army, Iraq |
| Berkebile, Dan | Army and Navy, Cold War |
| Blizman, John | Army, Cold War |
| Casker, David | Navy, Vietnam era |
| Caulfield, Tom | Army, Vietnam |
| Cernic, Ed Senior | Army, Korea |
| Croyle, Toby | Army, Vietnam |
| Derr, John III | Army, Vietnam |
| Donnelly, Jack | Air Force, Vietnam |
| Dunn, Mike | Army, Desert Storm |
| Eyer, Bob | Army, Vietnam |
| Glover, Phil | Army, Grenada |
| Goas, Robert | Marines, WWII |
| Gray, Walter | Army, Cold War |
| Haberkorn, Tom | Air Force, Vietnam |
| Hugya, John | Marines, Korea |
| Jackson, Tom | Navy, Vietnam era |
| Kintigh, Jerry | Air Force, Vietnam |
| Kuhar, Marty | Army, Vietnam |
| Latch, Joe | Army, World War 2, Korea |
| Lignelli, Mayor John | Navy, World War 2 |
| Lopresti, John | Army, Cold War |
| Mackin, Italo | Army, World War 2 |
| Maurer, Joseph | Marines, Iraq |
| May, Reed | Navy, World War 2 |
| McKinney, Warren | Army, Desert Storm |
| Neatrour, Paul | Army, Bosnia |
| Perry, Tony | Army, Cold War |
| Prah, Robert | Army, Iraq |
| Rolish, Craig | Air Force, Vietnam |
| Rozum, Walt | Army, Korea |
| Simmons, Greg | Navy, Cold War; Army, Cold War |
| Simmons, Polly | Coast Guard Cold War; Army, Iraq |
| Sposato, Greg | Army, Desert Storm |
| Taylor, Sam | Army, Iraq |
| Washington, Edward | Marines, Vietnam |
| Wojnaroski, Ed | Army, Cold War |
| Yasher, Jerry | Army, Vietnam |
