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The men in my family served in WWI, WWII, Vietnam, and my son-in-law served in the 1st Gulf war. After WWII, veterans received assistance with college, housing and life-long health care through the VA. Our current veterans deserve no less than the men who fought in WWII.
Universal health care in America would include our veterans. Time served should credit them with access to college. Guaranteed, set, low-rate loans would help them purchase their 1 homes.
We don't have to reinvent the wheel, we just have to treat our veterans with the same gratitude and respect that earlier generations provided. If our politicians have money to bail out banks and other corporations, then they have money to help our veterans. They can start with the money that some of the banks just paid back.
Suggested by Julie Greenspan on 06/11/2009 @ 08:27AM PT
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My husband served his country as did my father. I have a fundraising page for veterans returning from the two current wars. My husband is active in helping soldiers readjust to civilian society. I have a blog and I do write on the topic, plus I have taught on Vietnam, post-traumatic stress syndrome, the disgraceful treatment our soldiers received when they returned from their tours of duty, and I have used Dr. Jonathan Shay's study of The Iliad and the Odyssey to further the comparison (I also have taught those texts). I would be happy to blog on the issue as it is dear to my heart; our troops are returning to no benefits, reduced funding for VA hospitals, paperwork upon paperwork, a society that just doesn't understand what they've gone through and no thanks from the government who sent them there. I could go on about this.
Some activists fail to distinguish between the war and the warrior. Whether we like or dislike war, our troops do what they must and our society throughout history has not treated them well, despite the jingoistic rhetoric. More vets are homeless and imprisoned proportionally than civilians--I use the word proportionally because I am taking about statistical rations, not quanities. I also agree with the comment above as there are many illness that have come out of combat that the government will not fund for treatment and even deny their existence. This is no way to repay those who have served.
Suggested by S B on 04/10/2009 @ 08:04PM PT
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While I oppose war, and particularly those now being waged in Afghanistan and Iraq, I believe that those who have elected to serve their country should be honored and that employers as well as health care providers should prioritize their integration back into civilian life. Additionally, I echo the thoughts of Mrs. Allaway above. Those who have been in harm's way, their families and loved ones, and the public need to know the truth!
Suggested by Jamaka Petzak on 04/10/2009 @ 03:00PM PT
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Iam a veteran of the US Army(1971-1974). I am service connected for PTSD/MST. I was exposed to toxic chemicals at Ft. McClellan, Al.( 1971-1972). Those chemicals included AO( Agent Orange). We have to make Congress aware of the toxic chemicals that state side veterans and civillians were exposed to at all government locations. I recently lost a friend that was exposed to AO at Ft. McClellan, Al. My husband , Mike, was exposed at Camp Lejeune, NC. The public needs to know why the veterans are ill and dying. The VA denies it happened. My daughter was born with spina bifida which has been linked to AO( Agent Ornage). Sally Allaway, Kirkland, Wa.
Suggested by Mrs. Sally Allaway on 03/17/2009 @ 03:01PM PT
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