Honoring our veterans not limited to one day a year

Veteran’s Day has come and gone. But, of course, honoring our veterans is not limited to just one day a year. A signing of a new bill in Wisconsin reminds us of that. On Thursday, Governor Tony Evers signed into law a bill declaring a popular state highway a Purple Heart Memorial Highway. Highway 21 between Sparta and Oshkosh is now a Purple Heart Memorial Highway, honoring all recipients of the nation’s oldest military award. The award goes to those who were killed or injured by enemy action. In addition to signing the bill, Evers also spent time with military veterans and celebrated the contributions they make to Wisconsin’s economy. He also honored businesses that have shown a commitment to supporting our military vets. There are 343,000 veterans in Wisconsin and more than 55,000 veteran-owned businesses in the state. They employ 110,000 people and contribute more than $20 billion to the state’s economy. It is good that we paused on Veteran’s Day to recognize those who have served our country. Now we have a visible reminder of that each time we drive across Wisconsin on Highway 21.