With Veterans Day tomorrow, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) met with constituents to share how his military service has shaped him.

Moulton hosted – and participated as one of – six speakers at the Veterans Town Hall at Abbott Hall in Marblehead on Monday night. Each veteran was given five minutes to share personal reflections, ranging from what it means to serve, to life after the military, to standing “shoulder to shoulder as different but united” individuals. Several audience members also took the opportunity to share their own experiences.

“Thank you to all of you for making this something that’s not just important to our community and serves as a model for the rest of the nation,” Moulton said. 

Moulton, 47, was born in Salem and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after the 9/11 attacks. He served four tours in Iraq and was honorably discharged with the rank of captain. He was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for valor as well as the Bronze Star Medal for his actions in the Battle of Najaf. 

The congressman recalled a time when he was en route to a wedding but received a call from a fellow Marine in need of help. Being the closest to the veteran, Moulton changed his plans and drove him to a nearby Veterans Affairs medical facility.

“I spent a few hours there with him that morning, getting him checked in, waiting until he was admitted,” Moulton said. “What I saw there was pretty depressing, yet there was no place I would have rather been and that’s because of the brotherhood. I think this is something that’s important for the community to know about those of us that have served, that put our lives on the line, the relationships are so important that we treasure them even in the darkest times of our lives.”

Moulton was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014 and ran unopposed in his most recent election. He is a part of the Committee on Armed Services.In 2014, Moulton opposed redeploying U.S. troops to Iraq and later criticized former President Joe Biden’s handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan. In 2017, he founded the Serve America PAC, an organization that supports candidates with national service experience.

He introduced the Faster Care for Veterans Act, which was signed into law, to help improve access to medical care for veterans. He also introduced a package of four bills designed to strengthen the talent pipeline at Veterans Affairs medical centers.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were more than 15.8 million veterans in 2023, most of whom were over the age of 50. This accounts for about 6.1% of the country’s population. Including Moulton, there are currently 79 veterans serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“We look after each other,” Moulton said. 

He identifies as a “progressive Democrat” but has been recognized for his bipartisanship, ranking 34th in the Bipartisan Index during the 114th Congress, according to the Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy. 

Moulton announced a month ago that he would run for Senate, challenging Sen. Edward Markey for the Democratic nomination.

A recent UMass Amherst/WCVB poll found that 28% of Democratic primary voters support Moulton, while 51% back Markey.