[StBernard] Everyday Should Be Veteran's Day

[Westley Annis]

Dear Friends - 


This week we honored our brave veterans for their service and sacrifice.
Indeed, they are the reason why we live in the greatest country in the
history of the world. We honor them especially on Veteran's Day, but we
shouldn't wait until November 11th or the Fourth of July or Memorial Day to
say thank you. Everyday should be Veteran's Day.  Whether these men and
women served in the Army, the Marine Corps, the Navy, the Air Force, or the
Coast Guard - each of them answered the call to duty and we are forever
grateful for their willingness to stand in harm's way to defend our freedom.


This past week I was honored to help mark the comeback of Jackson Barracks
in New Orleans, which had been closed since the devastation of Hurricane
Katrina.  The reopening of Jackson Barracks is about more than bricks and
mortar. It's about celebrating the legacy of the Louisiana National Guard.
Time and time again, the men and women of the Louisiana National Guard have
run towards danger to protect our state and our country. From hurricanes to
the oil spill to fighting for our freedom overseas, the Louisiana National
Guard's service is a reminder to all of us that there is an immense honor in
serving something greater than yourself. 

This past week we were also in Northeast Louisiana for the ribbon-cutting
ceremony of phase one of ConAgra's new sweet potato processing plant in
Delhi.  The first phase of ConAgra's new facility has resulted in 275 new
workers and $156 million capital investment. Our economic development
department estimates that the 275 new direct jobs has resulted in the
creation of 780 indirect jobs for a total impact of 1,050 new jobs in the
area.  As I told the Monroe News-Star
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c215%7c9390&digest=lt3
WxE3isBXE%2babEmtZPQA&sysid=1> , the hundreds of new employees in the
audience for the ribbon-cutting ceremony are the real payoff for our work
toward making Louisiana the best place in the country for businesses to
invest.   

The Alexandria Town Talk
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c216%7c9390&digest=bgy
VoS1KghiUn8o4wB9Fbg&sysid=1>  took note of Louisiana's recent ranking by
Site Selection Magazine as one of the top 10 business climates in the nation
and said that "Louisiana continues to capture bragging rights as it makes
smart policy decisions related to business development and earns the
recognition that goes with moving in the right direction." We've certainly
moving in the right direction and have made great progress, but we've got
more work to do and we will not stop until Louisiana is the best place in
the world to raise a family and start a career. 

Sincerely,
Governor Bobby Jindal