U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-08), in keeping with tradition of inviting a guest to presidential addresses to Congress, will be virtually joined by Rochester Community School District Superintendent Dr. Robert Shaner for President Biden's first address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday.
Shaner is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, having served as a Second Lieutenant on active duty with units attached to the 1st Marine Division. He was deployed with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit to Somalia and the Persian Gulf, and has been an advocate for veterans issues including access to medical care and mental health services ever since.
"As a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and longtime advocate for service members, no one could better understand the sacred commitment we make to our veterans than Dr. Robert Shaner," said Slotkin. "His dedication to Michigan's veterans and his work to raise public awareness on issues like mental health care and toxic exposure has been inspiring to see up close. Dr. Shaner has dedicated much of his life to serving our country as a soldier, police officer and now as an educator. With his help and leadership I'm confident we can work to address issues like burn pits, mental health services, veteran suicide and more. I'm proud to call him a friend and thrilled for him to join me — virtually — for tonight's address from the President."
"When we send our men and women in uniform into harm's way, we make a solemn promise to provide them with the care and support they need once their service is complete," said Shaner. "That means providing them with treatment for their physical wellbeing in addition to the mental health services and care they may need when they come home. Too often, our veterans struggle to navigate the bureaucracies and red tape of the federal government. I'm proud to have had the chance to serve my country as a Marine, and proud to advocate on behalf of all our service members who deserve our enduring gratitude and support. I'm eager to hear President Biden's plans to address the needs of Michigan's veterans and I'm eager to work with Congresswoman Slotkin and leaders of both parties to make sure their voices are heard in Washington."
Following his time in the military, Shaner attended Oakland Police Academy, and after working as a police officer he received his Masters and began teaching in 2000. He earned a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Oakland University in 2009 and was inducted into the Gerstacker Fellowship program at Saginaw Valley State University in 2010.
Since 2013, he has served as Superintendent for the Rochester Community School District where he oversees more than 20 schools and 1,800 teachers and staff members serving over 15,000 students within the City of Rochester, Rochester Hills and the Oakland Charter Township.
In the fall of 2019, Shaner was honored with the 2020 Superintendent of the Year award through the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators (MASA) as well as the Superintendent Communicator of the Year award through the Michigan School Public Relations Association (MSPRA).
Earlier today, Shaner, who has seen firsthand the consequences of toxic exposure in the military, joined Representatives Slotkin and Peter Meijer (MI-03) at a press conference advocating for the bipartisan Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act to help veterans seeking medical care and services related to toxic exposure.
Original source can be found here.
