As a country, we must serve our veterans and military families as honorably as they have served us. This means ensuring affordable health care access, fully funding veterans care, providing adequate mental health and substance use services to those in need, ending homelessness, and providing transition assistance after deployment. Here at the South Dakota Democratic Party, we also believe that honoring the service of our veterans continues long after they have returned from active duty. In both rural and urban communities, veterans have a vital role to play and it is imperative to engage service members throughout the lifespan.