America owes our veterans, military retirees, and their families a huge debt of gratitude. As Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Levin continues to be a leader in the effort to make sure we take care of our nation’s veterans.

With hundreds of thousands of brave American servicemen and women currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the globe, in addition to millions of veterans who have already completed their military service, it’s critically important that all of our veterans, military retirees, and their families receive the benefits and quality health care they deserve.

That’s why Carl Levin is fighting to improve the quality of services our veterans receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense, to increase funding for critical VA programs, and to protect our veterans’ well-earned benefits.

In particular, Carl Levin has worked to end the “double taxation” of military retirees’ benefits — the current system which provides that retired pay be reduced dollar-for-dollar by VA disability payments. Carl Levin has already led efforts to implement interim measures that would allow full “concurrent receipt,” correcting the inequity of retirees not receiving both types of uniquely-awarded and well-earned payments. However, full “concurrent receipt” will not be completely phased in until 2014.

Carl Levin will continue to fight for quality health care and other essential benefits for all of our veterans, military retirees, and their families. It’s the least we can do to thank these brave Americans for their service to our nation.