Recently in the news, there has been a lot of talk about the Veterans Job Bill that was blocked by the Senate. My desire is NOT to get into a political conversation. What I do want to do, however, is put out some positive vibes for our men and women who have served or who are currently serving. Our treatment of veterans over the last several years has been atrocious, after all. Soldiers and their families are not getting their benefits on time. Soldiers are not getting proper psychological care. The soldiers in Afghanistan it seems have practically been forgotten by our country.
Here in the US, Veterans Day is November 12th this year. Building up to that date, I’d like for three things to happen.
1. I’d like #vetsmatter to trend on Twitter in as many places as we can get it to trend. This hashtag was inspired by Angela Maiers’ You Matter Manifesto. Everything she wants people to remember about themselves applies just as much to our vets as it does to anyone else.
2. I’d love to see your insights about vets in your own blogs – Why do veterans matter to you? Have you or someone you loved served? I don’t want this to be about politics. I am against just about every war you could think up, but that doesn’t mean that the men and women who fight those wars should be abandoned.
3. I’d like to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project – I have emailed them to see if they can let us know how we are doing, but even if we can’t do that, it would be comforting to know that we are making some kind of difference. You can donate here.
The Wounded Warrior Project has a tagline that reads, “The Greatest Casualty is Being Forgotten.” Our government, our country, acts as if our veterans have been forgotten. Maybe sending out our love for these men, women, and their families will be enough to make people remember why we mark Veterans Day, why we mark Memorial Day, and why our country has always bragged about our armed forces.
As for me, well, veterans matter to me because I have a friend who is serving right now. I have many friends who have served in the past. Many in my family have served. I also can admit, with no small amount of shame, that I’d not be able to withstand what military families go through. Not knowing whether that person you love is safe day-to-day, not knowing where they are or what they’re doing when they are surrounded by danger – it’s more than I’d be able to bear. I think of those families as people who are super-human. I don’t know how, quite literally, how they do what they do.
This is my small effort to let them know that they are on my minds along with the loved ones whom they are missing right now.
So, what do you think? Will you write a blog post about why #vetsmatter to you? Will you consider donating a bit of money to the Wounded Warrior Project? Is there other stuff we can do?
Let’s make a difference for these people this year. Let’s combat the negativity with something powerful and positive. Are you in?
Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/usarmyeurope_images/7698317812/ via Creative Commons