is the total lack of caring or interest on the part of the reichwing chickenhawks and others.

... and not the well of the people. They will visit a VA hospital for a photo op to make themselves feel better... that is usually enough to help them turn a blind eye to the impact that the war industry has on actual peoples lives. obviously, non of this is news to you... but it helps to vent

Last edited Sun Nov 11, 2012, 03:32 PM - Edit history (1)

Disgusted but no surprise

so much of what has been attempted to remedy some if not all of those.

I know they don't all vote Repub, but most do. They resemble the South in this way. I just don't understand it.

We've never taken care of our veterans going all the way back to the American Revolution. We did the best we've ever done after WWII and that's only because there were enough coming back that, if they hadn't, they could have caused real problems for the owners.

a massive public awareness campaign needs to happen.

The wing nut assholes who have no problem flexing America's Imperial muscle simply ignore them once they are injured or no longer in the service. Photo ops and campaign ads is all they want from injured or returning vets.

Policy makers ignore the fact that so many enlisted soldiers have little to no education and no chance at a productive life outside of the military without a much, much better support system post-service.

The way we allow corporations and politicians to exploit the veterans of this nation is disgraceful...

It's an American Illness imho

I speak from experience. Among the "slings and arrows" I received after returning from Viet Nam, was homelessness (thankfully short-term) and PTSD (which wasn't called PTSD then). There was NO "welcome home." None. Nobody in my family and none of my friends. My "bride" was sleeping with her lover. Her first words to me: "What the hell are you doing there?"

It was a nightmare ... and recurring nightmare (literally) for years afterwards.

Somehow, many self-righteous 'opponents' of the War in Viet Nam chose to scapegoat those who'd experience far greater loss than THEY even risked. After 1972, they didn't even 'risk' being drafted... and the interest in protesting disappeared like a fart in a windstorm. The boat people saw almost nothing from the vast majority of those self-righteous folks.

The sense of betrayal comes from the very nature of National Service ... which is a profound act of faith in The People and the system of self-governance upon which we all must rely. The "body politic." It's a subordination of one's self-indulgence to the "enlightened self-interest" of a civilized society.

The MOST meaningful response to such service isn't "Thanks" ... it's "I'm glad to have you back home." That's all. After all, that's what every guy LIVED for ... getting back to "the world" ... to the PEOPLE in his life who represented "The People" for whom he subordinated his own life.

Kicking a subordinate is a cowardly act.

It was betrayal.


And I get the 'joy' of remembering it every November. Accompanied with nightmares. I'm grateful for the 11.5 months of nightmare-free sleep. I'm grateful for those good folks who later were most helpful in "getting my head straight." I'm grateful that I never stopped knowing how to love. There are so many things I'm grateful for ... even knowing the meaning of the word "betrayal." What I'm most grateful for is never having done this to another person ... for not "going postal" and living a life of regrets. So, to those who betrayed me, I say "Thanks" ... which is the Booby Prize. First Prize is "I'm glad you're back home and part of my life."

Happy Veterans Day!




{I post this for those who can't and for those who won't ... who have parallel experiences.}

VERY profound, and yes, I am glad you're back home safely and have obviously come a great distance in your healing. I appreciate your sharing of your experiences.

I'm glad you made it. Through Vietnam...and the aftermath...

.... did you know the LtCol in HQ Special Troops who was killed in '69 Tet? (February 23, 1969)

(You are, iirc, the DUer who was at USARV Special Troops around that time, right?)

A Col. Terrell commanded Special Troops when I got there, and LTC Deskis was his Deputy Commander. Somewhere I have a photo of them pinning on my rank, as orders for promotion to 1LT were issued while I was I was in transit to VN so Special Troops had a small ceremony to make it official. As far as I know, both of them survived.

Col. Terrell's son also arrived at USARV and worked at the HQ in Officer Assignments. He'd just come back from serving as an Infantry platoon leader or company commander in the 101st Airborne Div.--and he secretly got me my transfer to the 101st after his dad kept blocking my requests.

Wake the hell up, America.

The reference to drugs. Unlike alcohol where being a consumer of alcohol doesn't necessarily label one as an alcohol "abuser". A consumer of alcohol can be labeled either a light drinker, a social drinker, a heavy drinker, a binge drinker or an alcoholic. Not so when it comes to other drugs. If you take any other intoxicant no matter what you are going to be labeled as a drug "abuser". I think that's horse shit.

I am just saying.. n/t

from http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/veterans

On August 31, 2012 President Obama signed an Executive Order that strengthens suicide prevention efforts across the Force and in the veteran community and improves access to mental health services for veterans, service members, and military families members.

First Lady Michelle Obama announced on August 22, 2012 that more than 2,000 American companies had answered President Obama's challenge and had hired or trained 125,000 veterans and military spouses in the past year through Joining Forces. This effort, combined with policies and legislation put in place by the President, have resulted in a 20 percent decrease in veteran unemployment compared to the same time last year.

President Obama signed the Veterans Skills to Jobs Act on July 12, 2012. This legislation will make it easier for veterans to put their skills to work and complements the new partnership launched by the Obama Administration that will make it easier for manufacturing companies to hire thousands of returning servicemembers who have the skills our country needs.

On April 11, 2012, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden announced a commitment from more than 150 state and national nursing organizations and over 500 nursing schools to further educate our nation’s 3 million nurses so they are prepared to meet the unique health needs of service members, veterans, and their families.....

job with out veteran's status


http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-veterans-employment-initiative

in a debate between Senator-elect Elizabeth Warren and what's-his-name, she categorically said we need to get out of Afghanistan NOW. If I lived in Mass., that alone would have gotten my vote for her. We should be out by 2013, not 2014.

Meanwhile, let's see awareness raised by our wonderful First & Second Ladies, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden. Veterans and their families have been high on their list of accomplishments, and maybe "60 Minutes" could do an entire hour on this subject. Rebuilding infrastructure is all well and good, but rebuilding lives and families should be priority one.

"It's a rich man's war and a poor man's fight."

War vets find solace in four-legged friends
http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/09/us/cnnheroes-ptsd-service-dogs/

Of course, the VA won't recognize the effectiveness of canine companions in therapy for PTSD...

WASHINGTON -- After Eric Shinseki took over a sleepy Department of Veterans Affairs four years ago, he decided some change was due. For one thing, those 154,000 homeless veterans living as beggars on the streets.

After some study, Shinseki, a decorated Vietnam veteran wounded twice in battle, ordered that the VA would not just reduce veteran homelessness -- it would end it. And end it by 2015.

The bureaucrats of the VA, a sprawling $140 billion empire that operates the nation's largest integrated health care system, sends veterans to college, insures their lives, guarantees their home mortgages and manages their burials, weren’t used to having someone over their heads barking orders. They certainly weren’t used to publicly announced deadlines.

"When I put that out, there was a lot of wind being sucked through teeth," Shinseki told The Huffington Post during a rare interview.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/11/eric-shinseki-veterans-affairs_n_2110080.html

In my honest opinion. They have been on fire for our Veterans and with Joining Forces and groups that have been making suggestions to this administration, I have been watching as Veterans are getting jobs.

Thank you President and Mrs. Obama and Vice President and Dr. Biden!!

And thank you Veterans for standing tall for the US!