Last week, people across the nation celebrated Thanksgiving — the purpose of which is to express thanks to everyone and for everything we have. But earlier this month, another holiday for expressing thanks went largely and wrongfully unnoticed — passed off by many as nothing more than a reason to have a day off work — Veterans Day.
America’s veterans have served in World War II, the Korean, Cold and Vietnam Wars, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, Operation Iraqi Freedom and other military efforts. There are approximately 23 million veterans living in the United States today. For a point of reference, the population of the entire state of Texas is just under 23 million.
Whether you agree with war or other actions of the U.S. military under the command of the president, we owe our freedom and safety in large part to our veterans, from our generation and those prior. Veterans deserve our respect and much more. In many ways, they’re not getting it right now.
According to the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients, veterans account for 23 percent of homeless people in America, though they only account for 11 percent of the total U.S. adult population. This is true despite the fact that veterans are better educated, more likely to be employed and have a lower poverty rate than the general population.
In addition to homelessness, veterans have underserved needs in other areas. Many veterans have service-related health care needs that are not met. One reason may be that there are 10 veterans for every one member of Veterans Affairs health care or other personnel employed to serve them.
Veterans are men and women who have risked life and limb to do what they believe is right — serve our country in the U.S. military and work to protect all of us here at home. My father, other family members and several of my friends are veterans. I find our nation’s lack of respect and maltreatment of veterans absolutely deplorable because I’ve seen firsthand what veterans have sacrificed in service.
If you believe, as I do, that there is no greater sacrifice a person can make than giving his or her life for something he or she believes in, you probably understand why I’m so outraged at the way America is treating our veterans. Veterans risk making the ultimate sacrifice and put their lives on the line for us every day. They have done so for over 200 years — yet America continues to use and abuse them.
We should not ask our veterans to fight for our freedom, guarantee them veterans benefits and then fail to fulfill our promises to them once they come home. For the most part, this is how we are treating our veterans.
This is completely unacceptable. Americans, especially those in our generation, need to respect and care for living veterans as we remember and honor fallen ones. We shouldn’t take out our distaste for the war or the president on our veterans. Whether we support or detest the war, we should all support our troops. We should all treat them with the respect and care they deserve in exchange for all they have done for our country and all of us.
As you come out of your Thanksgiving holiday and move into the cold wintry months ahead, please remember what we should all be thankful for. We only have all that we have because of those who came before us — our veterans. Please show them the respect they deserve and do what you can to give them what they’ve earned. You probably wouldn’t have the things and people you’re thankful for if it weren’t for the veterans who fought to protect them.
