Senator Joe Manchin deserves thanks for standing up for West Virginia veterans. Joe has always had our backs and now we need to have his back. I’m proud to support Joe for the U.S. Senate because he always does what’s best for our state.

Throughout his time as West Virginia’s Governor and U.S. Senator, Joe has worked across the aisle to protect veterans and to ensure that every veteran is treated with the respect and honor reserved for men and women who fought for this great country. Senator Manchin understands that the families of service members also make major sacrifices.

It’s not all talk, Joe is a man of action. He has proven that time and time again as he has voted to pass bills that support West Virginia Veterans. He implemented Yellow Ribbon legislation because Joe is committed to providing access to education for Veterans. He supported a 2.6 percent pay raise for our service men and women, the largest pay raise for members of the military in 10 years.

I’m proudly supporting Joe because he does what he says. He worked with Republicans and Democrats to write the HIRE Vets Act into law, because Joe believes that veterans deserve a chance to join the workforce honorably when they return home. This year, he worked to secure $300 million for Veterans’ employment and training.

In the time I’ve known Joe Manchin, he’s done many things to help Veterans and their families. If Joe says he’ll do something, take it to the bank because he is a straight shooter and a true West Virginian. In the Senate, Joe championed the expansion of caregiver benefits to veterans of all eras including family caregivers of veterans injured during World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf War. He helped secure the Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery and the Veterans Nursing Home in Clarksburg.

Senator Joe Manchin never surrenders in the fight for Veterans. He’s approved vans for VA medical centers, he’s worked to make sure military families receive death benefit gratuities during government shutdowns, and because of him West Virginia was the first state to offer bonuses to Veterans, resulting in 8,600 bonuses and a total of 4.8 million dollars. He also brought the first Fisher House to West Virginia, which will be located at the Huntington VA Medical Center.

This isn’t just talk. Joe Manchin is the best candidate for veterans. Period.

He is the greatest advocate West Virginia Veterans have ever had. He listens to West Virginians and gets results. I can tell you that there are many things that would not have happened if Joe Manchin were not there to serve the Mountain State.

I hope you will join me and many other Veterans in supporting Senator Joe Manchin on Election Day, Nov. 6th 2018.

Woody Williams is a Medal of Honor recipient and chair of Veterans and Military Families for Manchin.