ST PAUL, Minn. — Gov. Tim Walz and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar helped kick off the Minnesota State Fair's tenth Military Appreciation Day by participating in an opening ceremony Tuesday.
Lt. Col. Scott Hawks of the Minnesota National Guard's 55th Civil Support Team says the event not only shows gratitude to veterans and active service members for their sacrifices but also helps them connect with various organizations offering resources at the fair.
It comes on an historical day as President Joe Biden addressed the nation on the decision to pull remaining troops out of Afghanistan.
"Throughout the last 20 years, the military has really been stretched and with that it's really a great opportunity to say thank you and provide them that support," Hawks said.
Patti Meier, Minnesota's third congressional district Republican chair, says several military members stopped by the GOP booth Tuesday and conversations about the situation in Afghanistan were emotional for some.
"I'm concerned about the citizens and our friends - the Afghanis that helped us that are there - and if they could possibly be targets for being murdered or held as hostages," Meier said. "When President Trump was in office, we seemed to have a more peaceful arrangement over there."
At a separate event Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith provided comment.
"Ending a war like this never happens in a smooth way," Smith said. "Because of the decision of the Trump administration to cut the deal with the Taliban in the spring of last year, late winter of last year, United States troops in Afghanistan were drawn down to only about 2,500 so our capacity to understand what was happening on the ground and to be able to respond to that was dramatically diminished and at the end of the day that was the hand that President Biden was dealt."