The senator said: "In Washington D.C., they will tell you everything is fine."

Sen. Murray, the first woman to serve of the Veterans Affairs Committee, is traveling around her home state, listening to the stories of veterans who have returned home from Afghanistan and Iraq.

A representative of the State Department of Veterans Affairs, John King, says the state's population of vets is growing at twice the national average as many returning service men and women are choosing to live here.

But King says that means money to help the vets is lagging behind the need.

He told Murray 20 percent of returning vets show symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, and another 20 percent need help to just keep families and hope together

Some returned from nightmares abroad to nightmares at home. With injuries, physical and mental, they need help. They get a brass band.

King put it this way: "So while we're busy telling veterans we appreciate their service and sacrifice, we're restricting access to the very services that they need the most."

He added right now, mental health services are being cut and that worries him.

Sgt. Kevin Romanelli knew that. He talked about a friend he met in a hospital ward: "His wife wound up leaving him, they repossessed his vehicle, and they foreclosed on his house. And he wound up killing himself. And it's sad and I've got two other soldiers who wound up doing the same thing because they are not getting the help they need."

It's not just the disabled who suffer. Those who appear strong have problems too.

When National Guard Specialist Blaine Hall was called up, he told Sen. Murray he couldn't get a loan. His bookstore went bankrupt.

Six-year Army Vet Crystal Hampton says the only thing she knows is how to fix helicopters. She suffers from tendonitis and had knee problems are can't do that kind of work in civilian life.

And there's Sgt Romanelli; 80 percent disabled trying to survive on $1,300 a month: "We're living it, we've got to deal with it, my two little girls, they had birthdays they wanted a swing set, they wanted things. I had to tell them no. And that tore me up."

Senator Murray promises these stories won't be forgotten. She says: "those who serve will be remembered."

The Senator convinced Congress to add $1.5 billion to the current veterans' affairs budget. She promised that's just a start.