Vietnam veterans are the face of what George Washington warned

Vietnam veterans are the face of what George Washington warned
by
Chaplain Kathie

If there's a generation of veterans that have had a tough row to hoe, it's the Vietnam generation," said Shinseki

I use this quote at the bottom of every email I send out.

"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." - George Washington

We can use the word "appreciation" but few understand what it really means.

appreciation

Main Entry: ap·pre·ci·a·tion
Pronunciation: \ə-ˌprē-shē-ˈā-shən, -ˌpri- also -ˌprē-sē-\
Function: noun
Date: 1604
1 a : judgment, evaluation; especially : a favorable critical estimate

b : sensitive awareness; especially : recognition of aesthetic values

c : an expression of admiration, approval, or gratitude

2 : increase in value

Some people think a simple "thank you" does it all. They get to say the words, then get on with their own lives. Doesn't matter much to them that the person they just thanked for their service may not have a place to sleep or call home. It doesn't matter he or she may have been followed home by ghosts combat conjured up. It doesn't matter if those ghosts turned into full blown PTSD invading every part of their lives and the lives of their families trying like hell to understand what the hell just happened to their family when their veteran came home with all the limbs they had when they left. After all, according to most, the loss of a limb or clear scars are suppose to be the only wounds they have to worry about. When it comes to PTSD or TBI, if they can't see it, it didn't happen.

Some people feel obligated to show up at the funerals for the fallen to show their appreciation but when they die after they've been home for a while, no one seems to care except for the families, still wondering what happened to make everything they depended on, found security with, evaporated after the welcome home party. Soldiers fallen because of combat but not during combat somehow don't seem to merit the same appreciation from us. We don't stop to think that had they not gone into combat in our name, they wouldn't have come home the way they did.

Some of us figure that if they should end up homeless with yet one more shattered family left behind, it's their own damn fault. We sure don't want a shelter for veterans in our neighborhood. That would be bad for the home values and would put an undesirable element where we raise our kids and mow the laws, never once thinking about the fact these men and women cared more about us when they decided to serve than we cared about them after we sent them to do it. Imagine being a combat veteran kicked as low as you can get after being willing to lay down your life of the sake of what this country asked only to hear someone say that they don't want you in their neighborhood. How would that make you feel? Would this look like a grateful nation to you? Would you feel appreciated by anyone anywhere?

While few veterans actually do bring themselves to file claims with the VA (it's like fighting a losing battle to get them to admit they need help) we can't even manage to take care of the ones seeking help. As bad as the backlog is right now imagine if more than the less than half seeking help actually found enough hope to go for it? Do you think they feel appreciated when they have to wait months and years for claims to be honored, treatment delivered to heal and their neglected suffering to matter? Oh, but then we would also have to address the fact of the less than adequate disability rating when they cannot work anymore but end up with a rating of 30% or less to live off of for the rest of their lives while supporting families.

With all of this, General Shinseki pointed out how Vietnam veterans have had the toughest "row to hoe" when it comes to their service being really appreciated. No one wants to take away the attention the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are getting but it shouldn't come down to pushing back one generation over letting in the new guys in line. They should all be taken care of since this is the same nation they all served and the same nation that owes them a debt.

When it comes to PTSD treatment, newer veterans get the funding from charity groups. Ed Shultz is supporting selling coffee so that part of the money goes to IAVA and PTSD treatment but Ed doesn't seem to understand that the IAVA is only for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, just as most of the other newer charities are interested in serving, yet again forgetting about the Vietnam veterans and the Gulf War veterans. Why does it ever have to come down to one generation over another when Washington seemed to understand that it's about every generation and leaving one behind reflects poorly on all others?

This is the part I find impossible to understand. Had it not been for the Vietnam veterans coming home with the same type of wound as other generations, fighting for all generations of veterans to be taken care of, treated and compensated for the wound of PTSD, the newer veterans would be still back in the dark ages they came home to. None of what we see today would have been possible without them but they are still in line waiting for real appreciation. The "let's have a parade" idea is nice but it doesn't pay their bills when PTSD has destroyed their careers and broke their family apart. The "let's put up a monument" is nice but does not house one single homeless veteran living on the streets as a monument to our past failures.

When it comes to the Vietnam veterans all you have to do is look at any service organization and see the work they do. Most of them are run by Vietnam veterans dedicated to taking care of all veterans, not just some. Take a look at businesses being run and more than likely you'll find a Vietnam veteran at the top of the food chain. Look at the accomplishments and dedication these men and women have and then ask yourself if we are anywhere close to being able to deliver the message "from a grateful nation" to them when we allow all that is going on to happen to them while we shake their hand and say "Thank you for your service."

Shinseki: US will fix broken VA disability system

By KIMBERLY HEFLING
The Associated Press
Monday, February 22, 2010; 6:46 AM

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio -- Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki said he's making it a top priority this year to tackle the backlog of disability claims that has veterans waiting months - even years - to get financial compensation for their injuries.

Among those waiting for relief are sick Vietnam and Gulf War veterans to whom the former Army commander feels an allegiance and who have long felt ignored.

"I'm a kid out of the Vietnam era, I just have enough firsthand knowledge of folks walking around with lots of issues. If there's a generation of veterans that have had a tough row to hoe, it's the Vietnam generation," said Shinseki, 67, in an interview with The Associated Press as he traveled through snowcapped mountains in Ohio and West Virginia between meetings with veterans.

Shinseki, a former Army chief of staff who had part of a foot blown off when he was a young officer in Vietnam, was unapologetic about a decision he made in October to make it easier for potentially 200,000 sick Vietnam veterans who were exposed to the Agent Orange herbicide to receive service-connected compensation.
read more here
US will fix broken VA disability system