Today, more than six million veterans call rural America home, a higher concentration than any other part of the country. 

At USDA Rural Development we are working hard to ensure that when our military men and women return home, they have access to affordable housing, quality education, good jobs and dependable health care.

For instance, we recently assisted Robert Simon, a disabled veteran living in the small town of Spalding in Lassen County. 

Robert and his wife Rita have been without water for the past several months after their well went dry. 

Stuck hauling water in five gallon buckets from the local church, the Simons needed help – and needed it fast. 

USDA Rural Development's home repair program was a great fit and the Simons were able to drill a new well earlier this month.

In addition to our efforts at Rural Development, USDA has been helping thousands of veterans grow their farming businesses, and offer job skills and training programs targeted to veterans.

We are proud of our staff of more than 11,000 veterans, and we are working to bolster services and programs that support veterans and their families.

As we honor our veterans this November, I would personally like to thank them, along with our active duty military personnel for their service and dedication to protecting this great nation.    

We will continue to grow opportunities here in rural California and across the nation so that whether they grew up there or have relocated there, veterans and their families can continue to call rural America home.

Glenda Humiston is the California state director for USDA Rural Development. She oversees the agency's 40-plus programs and invested nearly $1 billion in California's rural communities during fiscal year 2014.