NORWAY, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today released the November edition of his Inside Maine podcast. In this edition, Senator King speaks with Carmine Pecorelli, a veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, about time in the military and how he’s continued his lifetime of service as a volunteer advocate for veterans. Senator King then speaks to Deo Lauria, a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and the outgoing District Service Officer for the American Legion at Togus. Senator King and his guests discuss the importance of serving Maine veterans.

“Maine has a long and storied history of military service that continues to this day, as our state has one of the highest percentages of veterans in the country,” said Senator King. “These are men and women who deserve our deepest gratitude for their military service – but it’s important to recognize that their efforts continued after they took off the uniform. Carmine and Deo are phenomenal examples of that continued work; pillars of service above self, these men exemplify how vibrant and vital Maine’s veterans community is. It was my pleasure to speak with them and highlight the good work they do for Maine’s veterans. ”

Since arriving in Washington, Senator King has been a strong advocate for veterans issues. This was particularly true in November: over Veterans Day weekend, he joined members of the community to observe Veterans Day at Northern Maine Veterans’ Cemetery in Caribou, where he provided keynote remarks and participated in the wreath laying cemetery. He also spoke at the opening of the Maine Troop Greeters Museum at Bangor International Airport, and presented World War II Veteran and Penobscot Tribal Elder with a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol. Earlier in the month, Sen. King also announced his support for two bills to protect and support American veterans.

These are just the latest examples of Senator King’s continued efforts for Maine’s veteran population. Through his work on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator King has supported multiple amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that support American veterans. In the Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA, Senator King cosponsored an amendment authored by Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) that would encourage cooperation and integration between the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense with their electronic health care record systems to improve the transition from active duty to veteran status and ensure that veterans won’t have to wait to gain access to the health care services they have earned. He also supported an amendment authored by Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) that would encourage the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs and Defense to assess the feasibility of establishing a joint office to house an interagency task force on suicide prevention. Senator King supports the coordination between the departments so that those who have served do not slip through the cracks. He is a strong supporter of the Veterans Choice Program, which helps veterans across Maine and the nation receive health care within their communities and allows veterans in Northern Maine to seamlessly utilize community care as they formerly did under the Access Received Closer to Home (ARCH) pilot. In August, the President signed into law Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act, legislation he cosponsored that would overhaul the Department of Veteran Affairs’ (VA) appeals process.

The “Inside Maine Podcast with Senator Angus King” is a 30-minute program that aims to help keep Maine people informed about issues of the day, how they affect life in the state, and how they factor into Senator King’s work as one of two independents in the U.S. Senate. Senator King’s podcast builds on his existing radio show that airs on Newsradio WGAN in Portland, Maine between 10 and 11 a.m. on almost every last Saturday of the month.

A link to the November podcast can be found HERE.