Veterans Day:
Honor Must Mean Action — Not Just a Photo Op
By Joshua T. Atkinson, Republican Candidate for State Senate, IL-45
FREEPORT, IL – November 11, 2025
Veterans Day began as Armistice Day in 1918, marking the end of the First World War. Later renamed to honor veterans of all eras, the day was meant to be more than a ceremonial pause. It was intended as a reminder of the weight of service—of those who stood watch in the dark, far from home, so the rest of us could live life in the light.
But over time, the meaning of Veterans Day has drifted. While Americans continue to show genuine respect, the political class has grown increasingly comfortable treating the day as a stage rather than a responsibility. Today, only about 19% of members of Congress and roughly one in ten state legislators have ever worn the uniform. Yet every November, the public is treated to the same ritual: flag-draped social media posts, carefully staged salutes, a quick stop at a cemetery for the cameras—and the annual tradition of politicians stopping by a free Veterans Breakfast just long enough to grab a photo and a plate before hurrying back to Springfield, where many of these same lawmakers oppose, delay, or quietly cut funding for the very veterans they just finished praising.
It is an old story, and veterans in Illinois know it well. The performance is polished. The follow-through is absent.
Meanwhile, the need is real. Illinois is home to nearly half a million veterans. Many of them—especially in rural Northwest Illinois—wait months for VA appointments, struggle to access mental health care, or face complicated bureaucratic hurdles when applying for the benefits they already earned. Veteran homelessness persists. PTSD support is insufficient. Military spouses have limited access to job assistance and family services. And too many veteran-owned businesses find themselves buried under state-level red tape that claims to help them but rarely does.
This is the part that never makes it into the Veterans Day speeches.
And it is here where the contrast in leadership becomes impossible to ignore.
State Senator Andrew Chesney is eager to present himself as a strong supporter of veterans when the cameras are rolling. Every Veterans Day, his social media channels light up with patriotic messages and carefully framed photos. But when it comes to actually addressing veteran healthcare access, rural mental health shortages, housing insecurity, business support, and family stability—the issues that determine whether a veteran thrives or struggles—Chesney has done little to nothing. The show is loud. The work is quiet.
Joshua T. Atkinson comes from a different place—and a different understanding. He didn’t learn about military service from talking points or policy memos. He learned it in uniform, as a U.S. Navy sailor serving this country. He knows the pride of service, but he also knows the reality that comes after service ends. He has stood the watch, and later witnessed the lines at the VA like so many others.
For Atkinson, Veterans Day is not sentimental—it is personal.
From the beginning of his campaign, he has argued that honoring veterans must mean more than gestures. It must mean securing access to healthcare without months of delays. It must mean ensuring that rural communities have mental health support close to home—not counties away. It must mean addressing veteran homelessness with stable housing rather than temporary shelters and speeches. It must mean providing job opportunities for military spouses and support for the children who grow up in the shadow of deployment. It must mean enabling veteran-owned businesses to succeed rather than pushing them through paperwork until they give up.
In short, it requires doing the work.
Atkinson speaks plainly about this: “We don’t need more parades. We need purpose. We need action. We need leadership that shows up when the cameras aren’t there.”
That is the difference.
Chesney honors veterans with performances.
Atkinson honors veterans with service.
Chesney steps in for the photo.
Atkinson steps up for the responsibility.
Veterans Day is not a holiday for applause. It is a reminder of a debt that cannot be repaid, only honored, through commitment, through action, and through leadership. The people of Northwest Illinois deserve a senator who understands that. Our veterans deserve a senator who lives that.
This year, and every year forward, the question is simple:
Do we want leaders who remember veterans just on the holiday,
or leaders who serve them all year long?
