Firstly, HAPPY VETERANS DAY! And although it was technically yesterday, your government will take today off to remember (or forget) it. Great use of tax dollars, considering the current state of our country's checkbook. We'll be dead before the bill comes due I guess. As a veteran, it's such a slap in the face for this country's LEADERS to "observe" this holiday at the same time their actions show us they don't give a shit.
It has become cliche to thank veterans for their SACRIFICE. It seems elementary, but DEATH is not the ultimate sacrifice for veterans. I would say the disabled veterans sacrifice far more than those who give their life. This may not make sense to some. To you I would recommend researching the treatment of veterans.
HOMELESSNESS is a HUGE problem amongst returning combat veterans. You'd think with a combined budget in excess of $525 BILLION, that the DoD or DHS would at least be able to provide FOOD. CLOTHING, SHELTER to the returning veterans. Not our government and not US! Yes, us! It's OUR responsibility, as citizens, to hold our representatives accountable for their votes. UNLESS, we concur.
Most homeless veterans are suffering from an assortment of psychological disorders. And we're not talking about "bad childhood" repressions either. It's like transitioning back FROM HELL. Daily bomb blasts, dying comrades, no sense of purpose or reason. Just do, "follow orders." Work side-by-side with civilians, who earn 3X as much, have no laws, or respect. Not to mention, REPEATED & EXTENDED TOURS OF DUTY. Serve an initial 15-month tour, return for 3 months, get diagnosed with PTSD, then off you go for another 15 months.
There's no doubt it takes a special kind of person to devote your life to the defense of America. The devotion is layered. It's not just the ACTIONS of those who actually serve, but the REACTIONS of the families as well. This is the where you see the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE. See, this word SACRIFICE has been sold to us to mean "servicemen/women who have died during war." But when you look beyond this surface meaning you can see where the military meets the civilian sector.
It's very difficult for civilians to understand (and accept) the requirements of military service. This leads to very stressful relationships in peace time, let alone a very unpopular war. It's a combination of secrets and absence. The great thing about relationships in general is sharing experiences and growing closer together. It's one thing to be apart from someone, but it's an entirely different thing when it's a SEPARATION OF WORLDS. A civilian wife with 3 kids, living in the US and an infantry soldier in Baghdad have very little in common. There will likely be psychological consequences for both. It's very sad to see how those responsible for sending these folks to war completely disregard them personally.
I see this and wonder how we can allow it. All the financial consequences of war aside, this is on a human level. There is something we ALL can do to stop this mistreatment of our citizens and service people. We don't seem to care about the cost, either financially or humanely. SO WHAT IS IT EXACTLY THAT WE DO CARE ABOUT? ANYTHING OF SUBSTANCE? ANYTHING THAT ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTES TO THE EXISTENCE OF OUR SPECIES?
Compassion now seems to be perceived as weakness...
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