Napolitano’s Meeting With Veterans

DHS passes along the talking points from the in-progress meeting between Secretary Janet Napolitano and the American Legion, which was called in response to the Legion attacking Napolitano over the “rightwing extremism” memo. In attendance at the meeting: counterterrorism adviser Rand Beers, who will soon join DHS. In case anyone doubted that DHS was not taking this seriously.

Secretary Napolitano wakes up every day committed to doing her job of protecting the United States and she welcomes the opportunity to work together with groups, organizations, and communities who want to join in that mission.

The veterans community has always played a prominent role in this mission.

44,000 veterans are employed at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – veterans make up 26% of the workforce.

Some of DHS’ top people including Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute and one of Secretary Napolitano’s senior advisors Rand Beers are veterans and bring decades of experience to their jobs at DHS.

Whether it’s providing support for first responders, helping to secure our borders, enforcing smart and tough immigration laws or boosting preparedness for natural disasters the veterans who make up our workforce play a prominent and critical role in accomplishing DHS’ mission.

Secretary Napolitano helped men and women that have bravely and honorably served our country become American citizens. They put themselves on the frontlines to protect a country that wasn’t even their own.

It is their service and the service of so many other veterans including those that work each day at DHS that is the true example of commitment to our country and not political games or folly.