1. Suicide rates among veterans returning home run higher than mortality rates on the field.
2. It can take in excess of one year for Veterans to receive the benefits that they need. What they are supposed to do in the meantime baffles me. But that might well explain the suicide rate above.
3. The unemployment rate for Veterans - specifically young veterans is a staggering 27%.
In a fair, just and moral society this is just simply unacceptable - but in our current robber baron economy - some of it just reeks of "bidness as usual". Employers don't want to hire Americans any more - let alone veterans that might have some issues such as PTS or chronic medical problems. God forbid the insurance risk pool be raised to accommodate that! Sadly, this is a symptom of what we have become as a society and the disease is rooted deeply in the monied interests that have corrupted our society and government.
We need to do better. So remember, if you an employer and you are in a position to be hiring - consider a Veteran.
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We need to continue to advocate for those without advocates and nurture those we can who are spiritually vulnerable. We all walk a difficult path but the trees are still lovely in autumn and the flowers still colorful in spring. Sometimes reminding each other of our common struggle is the beginning of renewal.
ReplyDeleteHi Cletis - What I find very sad is that the military tends to be republican. The picture of the Marines on top was from my father's funeral. He was a Marine - (Korea) he got sick towards the end of his life and I had to fight to get him the care he needed. But he was also tea party. Never understanding that it was only my aggressive advocacy that got him treated at all. Total disconnect between the reality and the ideals. I think its kind of a John Wayne syndrome.
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