Heinrich Honors New Mexican Vets; Condemns North Korea's Nuclear Weapons Test.

Duty, Honor & Country. New Mexicans Pay Tribute to Fallen Soldiers.

After a weekend of rain, sunshine filled the NM Veteran's Memorial Park just in time for Monday's Memorial Day ceremonies. Hundreds of people filled the grandstands. They saluted a giant American Flag (flying at half staff), bowed their heads during an invocation, and listened to dignitaries honor veterans and their families.

Lest we forget, a wall with thousands of New Mexican's names surrounds the entrance to the park. The bricks display the names of those individuals who heard the call to duty and are either still missing in action, tragically died in combat, or served in captivity, from WWI through the War on Terror.

Represenative Martin Heinrich, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, was a featured speaker at this morning's event. Other VIP's attending included Lt. Governor Diane Denish, ABQ Mayor Martin J. Chavez, Bernalillo County Commissioner Michael Brasher, and City Councilor Dan Harris.

He tells us the first piece of legislation he introduced in Congress was for veterans.

It will help communications between the Department of Veterans Affairs, our State V.A. Directorships and returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. We often lose track of those folks because we only keep track of their physical address which typically changes a lot when they return. One of things we’re trying to do is make sure they start keeping track of emails for all those returning veterans so we can make sure they get the services they’ve earned.

We caught up with him before the ceremony began and talked to him about North Korea's nuclear weapon test underground early Monday.

Heinrich told 770KKOB, that he's concerned North Korea is becoming increasingly isolated from the world community.

I think we need to work in concert with our allies to make sure that North Korea does not pose a threat to the United States or the stability of the entire pacific region.

Heinrich said the NM Veterans Memorial Park use to be in his city council district and that it has a close place in his heart.

In addition to honoring the fallen over the last year I just want to thank the people who show up here every single year. You see their faces again and again if you’ve been to the park. They come every spring. They don’t spend their memorial day at the reservoir or off on a three-day vacation. They come here to recognize and pay tribute to our fallen veterans.

Heinrich also told us he'll be hosting a veteran's town hall meeting on Wednesday at the park, near Kirtland A.F.B., from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.

Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish told the crowd, "Because of their [veterans] valor and their commitment, freedom is alive in the world today."