KENTUCKY — Last month, Kentucky state Senator Steve Meredith (R) was selected to serve as chairman of the Senate Veterans, Military Affairs & Public Protection Committee.

Meredith is from Leitchfield, Kentucky in Grayson County and he succeeds the late C.B. Embry, who was the committee’s longtime chairman, who died in late September after a long battle with cancer.

"Oh goodness this came as quite a surprise. We knew the Senator Embry was very ill and had the possibility of passing away before the general session was over with. He was pretty strong, but I can't say I was really prepared for this. I served on this committee for almost two years now. When you talk about Veterans Military Affairs and Public Protection, it covers a broad scope of issues and a lot of challenges ahead for us, but I think when we go into the session, all those things will come together and priorities will rise to the top," said Sen. Meredith.

During this In Focus Kentucky segment, Meredith also discusses his personal connection to National Veterans and Families Month.

"My father was part of a great generation. He lied about his age when he was 17 years old to join the United States Army and actually reported to duty at Fort Knox on December 23, 1938. And obviously before World War Two, but was there for the duration. And he told me, I did it to escape the crushing poverty that we knew during the Great Depression. He said after his first meal at Fort Knox that evening, first time in his life. Your one he got out. The military experience was an education in discipline. And I know no one loved this but you're gonna pass that on to me. I'm honored to be in this position, doing it in memory," explains Meredith.

You can watch the full In Focus Kentucky segment in the player above.