Senator Kim Holds Annual Veterans Town Hall in Cape May County

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, NJ – Yesterday, Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) held his annual veteran’s town hall where he was joined by members of the South Jersey and veteran community. A special event that started in 2019, this town hall offers a chance to lift up voices of New Jersey veterans while highlighting the importance of service. Senator Kim was joined by special guests Army Staff Sergeant Torie Fisher, Marine Sergeant Erin Kirk-Cuomo, Specialist Lucy Del Gaudio, and Petty Officer Jenna Leigh Carlton. Throughout the morning, each guest reflected on their time in uniform and spoke about what public service means to them. They also discussed the importance of prioritizing veteran mental health, the adjustment servicemembers face when returning to civilian life and the support needed for success, and the realities of serving as a woman in uniform. “Veteran’s Day is a time to put politics aside and honor the sacrifices made every day by our servicemembers to keep us safe, both at-home and around the world,” said Senator Kim. “I’m grateful to the veterans who shared their stories this morning, and for everyone who came out today to participate in a reflective conversation on public service.” “I’m really proud to be able to sit here with other women that are pushing [veteran mental health] forward, because these are the things that [veterans] don’t like to talk about …there’s a lot of veterans sitting at home, sitting in the dark struggling, and so we continue to advocate and assist veterans in any area that they need, whether it’s housing, financial, mental health – but there is so much work that needs to happen,” said SSG Torie Fisher. As a member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs (HSGAC), Senator Kim fights for our service members every day by pushing for better healthcare and access to VA benefits and efforts to make veteran transition easier into civilian life. ###