Day: Twenty Three
Organization: New Directions
Activity: Serving Veterans
So, since you have been reading and watching this daily, you know I think we have a few dirty little secrets in this country. One, is how many people don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Another, is how we treat our veterans.
I come from a blended military family…I have many generations who have served and I so admire each and everyone of them who fought for the freedoms enjoyed today in this country. But, even if you don’t come from a military family, you have been blessed by their service. In fact, your life wouldn’t be what it is had people not served.
So, here’s my issue, and it is not with the troops at all. We spend so much time and money recruiting, training and supporting our active duty troops — figures that even if I shared them with you are so large they can’t be comprehended. And, I understand that investment — I think our country is worth every penny spent to keep us safe.
But, where is the money when they return? We don’t spend enough getting our troops, our vets, accustomed to living back in civilian life. We just drop them back in and expect them to be alright. Well, it doesn’t work that way. They need to be deprogrammed, reintegrated. Not that they are machines, but they have been taught to respond to orders in the field, while the rest of us are taught to think on our own and decide if the direction given is appropriate, moral.
I think we all live thinking we take care of our vets, but we don’t. I had someone very well connected to vet issues tell me recently that the programs for vets are out there, but vets don’t know about them. Well, that in and of itself is an issue. If we have the programs, our government needs to do a better job of informing vets, but again, once they are home we stop paying attention.
Of all the people in need out there, we owe our vets the most. Without them, we have nothing. Do I have every freedom I deserve, no. Do I agree with every war the USA is, or has been, in no. But, I believe in our troops. I honor them, celebrate them and want them to have lives outside of service that are safe, blessed and full of all the possibilities our lives have.
God bless our troops, our vets, our military families…God Bless America.
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