Memorial Day

Remember the living along with the dead

The Department of Veterans Affairs statistics show that there are 22,380,000 veterans, and 10 percent of that population are women. The majority of surviving veterans are from the Vietnam War Era, 7.5 million;however, it is projected that in less than five to ten years, the majority will be Gulf War Veterans. I had no idea there so many people who have returned from conflict/war in our nation. Nor did I realize we had that many Vietnam Veterans. I guess watching all of the movies and reading history of that war did not prepared me for those statistics. I always looked at most veterans returning from war were the generation that served in WWII.

Then I read that the projected number of living WWII Veterans is just over one million with nearly 640 dying every day. What Tom Brokaw called the Greatest Generation are disappearing like an endangered species. It’s hard to fathom that in 20-30 years we will be saying the same for our Vietnam Vets. It makes me wonder, will we finally show them the respect they deserve before they become extinct? Any person who has served in any military conflict deserves respect and appreciation.

I had two very dear friends deploy to Afghanistan for a year, one was a combat medic, he wasn't allowed to fire upon the enemy even if he was being fired upon. He watched buddies get blown up around him, only able to patch their wounds, he would have to call in and request permission to return fire. And there is never enough time in a high intensity conflict to get “permission”. My other friend learned that the women wearing Burkas were the ones carrying weapons. He was a Southern gentleman, and he quickly learned not to trust women.

They both carry those scars, and now they have returned, one is retired and the other is counting time to finish his term with the Army praying that he does not return to the mayhem. But they are the next generation of soldiers, younger than who we normally think to honor on Memorial Day. We honor the dead, and so often forget the living.

In combining the veterans from WWII, Korean Conflict, Vietnam War, and the Gulf War, right now just over 40 percent of veterans are age 65 or older. That’s ten million people that have seen horrors of war and some still to this day cannot talk about it and carry the pain in reoccurring nightmares.

While getting things packed for the weekend on the lake with friends, or planning the big barbecue, you could think that Memorial Day is for your parents or grandparents age, for those who are retired and like to visit old friends at retirement homes or cemeteries. As I said, we honor the names on plaques in parks and cemeteries, the dead. Visiting those sites is poignant, Arlington Cemetery had the most profound and deep emotional impact on my soul when I visited there. I was so proud to be an American and to know those represented by the gravestones there had served for my freedom.

But then I thought of my friends and I looked at the statistics in another way, nearly 60 percent of veterans today are 65 or younger. These are people who are still in the workforce, and raising families. Many are having trouble finding a job, more than 6 percent of these young veterans are unemployed. Sometimes it is because of finding jobs that match their skills, not many mainstream jobs for a retired missleman. Some because they are still unsettled from the effects of war. The damage that comes back with them from the war zone. The VA statistics show that more than 25 percent of recent veterans return injured, PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), missing limbs, burns, spinal cord injuries orTBI (Traumatic Brain Injuries). Those are just the recorded maladies, many never go in for treatment or help for the mental issues, they just keep fighting the battles in their minds.

Adding to the number of soldiers and veterans that are suffering from mental trauma is the US Military’s suicide rate grew a startling 15 percent in 2012. The Pentagon, which has put effort into lowering military suicide rates, acknowledged that battle casualties are no longer the primary reason for soldiers’ deaths. They feel so helpless and hopeless they take their life, sometimes even the lives of others.

It is a travesty to see those who have such patriotism built into their beings that they feel it their duty to serve their country, come home and get lost and sometimes forgotten. I have seen this first hand, through watching the suffering my friends are experiencing and at the same time watching my son, a newly commissioned officer, feel that he MUST serve his country, that it is up to him to provide a safe world for others and for his family. I pray that he doesn't have to see war firsthand, but he signed up for this duty knowing full well it will be expected. I pray every night for his safety. I understand fighting for freedom, but I truly hate war.

We need to look up from the gravestones and turn our focus outward this weekend, think of those 22,380,000 people that have done what you and I have not. Show that the living are remembered along with the dead. Make the difference in caring for them just as much as you care for your family and friends this holiday. We are a country————-UNITED. Hug an soldier, thank a vet today.

Showing Support on Memorial Day

How do you show support for veterans on Memorial Day? Here are a few ideas:

-Put flags or flowers on the graves of soldiers.

-Fly the U.S. flag at half-staff until noon.

-Visit monuments dedicated to soldiers, sailors and marines.

-Participate in a National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. local time.

-Volunteer or donate to local Veteran Service Programs. Wounded Warrior Project, AmpSurf,and The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, are just a few. A great website for more information is militarysupportgroups.org.

Celebrate the day with family and friends, but don’t forget to thank those incredible citizens who fought to protect the rights, safety and liberty of all.

Happy Memorial Day—-Thanks from an Air Force mom.