Rob Horowitz: Time to Prove We Value Our Veterans
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Now that the flags and bunting are put away from yesterday’s celebration, there is one important and concrete way we can honor military families: that is to ensure that soldiers receive the assistance they need to integrate back into civilian life and to bring their unique experiences and capabilities to the many challenges here at home
During previous Wars the draft made military service a much more central part of American life, with a much higher percentage of people entering the service. The advent of the volunteer army has put military service at some remove from most Americans. Our lives and the lives of our families are no longer as directly touched by the military. Thus, it is even more important to pause and appreciate the special sacrifices made by soldiers and their families. This is particularly true in these recent conflicts, where it is not at all unusual for soldiers to serve more than one tour of duty in a combat zone.
The Obama Administration has made providing needed services for Veterans a priority and they have received strong support from some major US corporations such as Walmart, AT&T and Hewlett Packard, which have made special efforts to hire Veterans and created effective job training programs for Veterans There is an ongoing effort to improve mental health care treatment available through the Veterans Health Administration, although this effort to date has received mixed reviews.
Still, much more must be done to match the scale of the problem, including more college education and training funding, expanded job training programs and stepped-up private sector and community involvement.
Nearly 6,500 American service members have died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and more than 40,000 have been injured. Pausing and reflecting on the sacrifice of so many of our fellow Americans is, of course, the purpose of Memorial Day—a day to recognize and honor all who have served but especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that the rest of us can enjoy our freedoms. It is time for all of us as a society to demonstrate that we value our Veterans’ service and truly honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice by ensuring we do everything we can once our service members return home.
Rob Horowitz is a strategic and communications consultant who provides general consulting, public relations, direct mail services and polling for national and state issue organizations, various non-profits and elected officials and candidates. He is an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island.
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