Veterans

-A third of all Homeless Men in the Country are Veterans
-18 Veterans Commit Suicide Each Day
-Over 300,000 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome or Major Depression while 320,000 have suffered brain injuries.

Posted by: Nicolas Katkevich

These statistics deal a decisive blow to the aged perception that the military and our government unquestionably support our veterans and that individuals fighting war are immune to the horror of armed conflict. As a Shelter Manager at a Homeless Shelter in Phoenix, I have met dozens of individuals who served in the military and now find themselves without the adequate support to live comfortably and safely. I have yet to interact with a veteran who glorified battle, as most veterans I have spoken too do not wish to speak too deeply about their experience in war.

Yet just last night I had the opportunity to speak with a veteran who was part of a Helicopter Medic unit during the Vietnam War. During outreach work we had found the gentleman under a bridge where he was escaping from a rare rainy night in Arizona. He related to me the valuable insight that even for the strongest of men, war is an absolutely terrifying, sorrowing experience. He had seen close friends die, seen men in his unit loose their limbs and seemed confused as to why he made it out with his physical body intact. I hope the leaders of our country can take a moment and imagine their best friend, and imagine seeing them killed before your eyes. How do you think you would handle bearing witness to such horror? Even the thought of this experience is very disturbing and painful. It is easy to see why so many veterans have great difficulty coping with their experience of war. Moreover it is easy to understand why war is not a natural part of human existence, yet only a folly manifested by misunderstanding and ignorance.

Veterans are direct victims of war; experiencing death, destruction and confusion in an abundance that we shall never see. We must listen to, understand and love our veterans. Their stories of sorrow, death and suffering need to be heard. The pain they experience must be utilized as an energy for us to clearly understand the tragedy of war and to work towards opening the hearts and minds of our leader so that they too can see the ramifications of war. It is time to help our veterans and do what we can to ensure that war is no longer an option for America.