Presidential hopeful John McCain attended a Memorial Day ceremony in Albuquerque last week to honor fallen soldiers and outline a plan to increase veterans' benefits.
Reps. Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson and Sen. Pete Domenici spoke at the May 26 ceremony, which more than a hundred people attended, including the families of fallen soldiers who were being honored.
Domenici said the upcoming election will be crucial as voters are more aware than officials of the issues in the U.S.
"This country has some problems now, and you all sense it. You're ahead of us," he said. "You're going to try to do the best thing you can, knowing that this country is in trouble."
McCain said more must be done to honor those who fight for the U.S.
"As president, I would do everything in my power to ensure that those who serve today and those who have served in the past have access to the highest quality health, mental health and rehabilitative care in the world," he said.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
McCain also addressed the issue of education benefits for veterans.
McCain is sponsoring a new GI Bill which would increase monthly education benefits to $1,500, eliminate the $1,200 enrollment fee and offer $1,000 annually for books and supplies.
Sociology graduate student Darren Kowitz, a veteran, said the GI Bill needs to be updated, but McCain's increases are not enough because they do not provide for a full four-year education.
"His version gives a slight increase," Kowitz said, "but it doesn't meet that idea of what the GI Bill is for."
Kowitz said the changes to the bill proposed by Sen. Jim Webb would be more beneficial to veterans who want to attend college than McCain's plan.
"(Webb's) would pay for a full four years of education at the most expensive state school in your state, with books, housing and a stipend every month," he said.
McCain said he does not support Webb's changes because they offer veterans who serve one enlistment the same benefits as veterans who have re-enlisted several times.
"Our bill has a sliding scale that increases benefits according to the veterans' length of service," McCain said. "It's important to do that because otherwise we will encourage more people to leave the military after they have completed one enlistment."
Kowitz said this claim is unfounded.
"They're saying we can't be too good to the troops because then they'll leave," he said. "The inverse of that is that recruitment would dramatically increase."
McCain said money would be no object when providing the best benefits for veterans.
"Whatever our commitment to veterans costs, we will keep them, as you have kept every commitment to us," he said.
McCain defended his position on a limited increase in benefits for veterans and said he would do what is best for them.
"I take a backseat to no one in my affection, respect and devotion to veterans," McCain said.
