I did a lot of knitting and spinning yesterday and while I was doing that I thought about Veteran’s Day. I thought about the sacrifices that our veterans and their families make. I thought about how so many of our families are separated right now and how lucky I am that my family is together. I also thought about how unprepared our country is to deal with the rising needs of our veterans. I heard a statistic from a new study that says that 1 in 4 of our country’s homeless are actually veterans. That is wrong on so many levels and, while I don’t have the solution, I’m certainly aware of how desperate the situation is. And with awareness comes change, I hope.
So, allow me to take this opportunity to say “thank you” to our veterans. And to their families. Your sacrifices do not go unappreciated.
Amen!!!
I hear you, homeless veterans… wrong on every level and then some.
The way our government (and by extension we) treats vets is abominable. Something needs to be done…it’s so sad.
Thank you for the lovely post – and reminder!
I join you in thanking our veterans and those serving our country right now.
A lot of the homelessness has to do with the government’s poor track record in acknowledging and treating the mental illness that results from military service (e.g. PTSD). I’m glad the press about this war has focused more on those issues – maybe there will be some changes in the future.
Well said, Carole! My dad is a Veteran, and his birthday is on Veteran’s Day! As you can imagine, Veteran’s Day is a big deal in our family!
Hear, hear! Birmingham is (was?) the home of the largest Veteran’s Day Parade in the country. I should be hearing the drums shortly…
THANK YOU so much, Carole, for thinking of our service men and women. My baby brother just returned from Iraq (Mosul) this summer, and there certainly is not nearly enough being done — and no, they do not keep track of them. In fact, Jason is still owed $6000 that some bureaucrat is sitting on (he’s been home since July!!). Not to mention sleepless nights and panic attacks. But he is home and we are luckier than some. And he has a family who WILL NOT let him fall — and with folks like you, perhaps we can support even more. Thank you, thank you.
Thank you for such a lovely post, Carole. I tried to write one, too, but the words just didn’t sound right.
I am so glad that the press is highlighting the fact that such a large number of homeless people are veterans, and I sincerely hope that something will be done about this. I am appalled that the government can send men and women off to war, exposed to horrors that no human should ever have to experience, and completely turn their backs on those who have sacrificed so much when they return. I know that the VA is doing much more to diagnose and treat PTSD now than they ever did after Vietnam, but they still have a long way to go.
So, as the daughter of a Vietnam veteran, and the wife of an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, thank you for taking the time to bring attention to those who deserve it, and so much more.
Excellent post. 🙂 My husband is a combat war veteran and I’ve been thanking him extra yesterday and today.
Yeah, I’ve been thinking a lot about a great uncle that landed on the beach in France, only to have his whole platoon die but him… and again he landed, to have almost his whole platoon die. No wonder he was ‘crazy uncle herbie’. And just a big ago I heard very sad news, a boy I used to babysit committed suicide this weekend. He was a man now of about 38, and a combat vet from desert storm.
Great post, Carole. I’m now meditating a letter to my congresscritters saying “let’s really support the troops.” It’ll probably be preaching to the choir, but it couldn’t hurt. (Just for the record, I hate this illegal, unnecessary war and the fact that brave young people are dying in it, but I put the blame where it belongs, not on the troops.)
What a nice post 🙂 My little bro is a veteran and he told me today that it makes him feel good when he sees notes like this… so thank YOU.
Hear, hear! (Or is that “Here, here!” I can never remember which….)
As usual, very nicely said. Amen!
Thank you and Amen. We take our liberties so for granted.