# 3 Veterans Day
Veterans Day
Its odd how people don’t give a shit. But most of it is ignorance and I can’t blame people for what they have no knowledge of. We do not have a momment of silence here. My dad called me up a month ago and told me he went to wisconsin with an army buddy they visited their former 2nd Leutenant. He has been in a VA (Veterans Administration) hospital in Wisconsin since 1968 where in vietnam the back of his head was blown off. He suffered brain damage, and more importantly a huge part of his skull is missing requiring him to wear a helmet to protect his brain. Hes pretty much an 8 yearold, forgetful, wanders off, has troubles communicating but still remembers my dad and his buddy, their names what they did in his unit, he remembers a lot of the war and he sits up there in the hospital living out his life. No one remembers him, his parents have died, and he was their only son. A few times a year my dad’s army buddy takes him out of the hospital, they go to the movies they go out to a restaurant, somtimes he will bring him back to chicago to stay with him for a week. He has even taken him to vegas for a week… a trip he still remembers fondly. This is just one story of thousands of other veterans permanently disabled from their service. Sure they got a nominal check ($2600) per month for full disability…. and free healthcare. But people don’t think of them there, only their buddies remember. 500.000 veterans are homeless. I believe roughly a 100-300 are from the most recent iraq war. Very recently a good friend of mine who is a veteran aswell spent some time in VA mental health facility receiving treatment where he was locked up with many vets much older than us, each day they fight the battles over and over in their head, a normal life robbed from them. I think our greatest failure here is that we have forgotten about these people they were husbands fathers sons brothers, boyfriends… and more recently wifes mothers sisters daughters girlfriends…… Today there are but a handful of WW1 vets left. 100.000 Vietnam vets have commit suicide since the war. In america there is a popular phenominon the yellow ribbon “we support our troops” car magnet. Its a magnet so days when you don’t feel like supporting your troops you can take it off, and days you want to be part of the club, you can…. Its an idle gesture it means nothing, What have you done to support your troops? Have you ever volunteered at the VA? Donated to Purple Heart or another vets group? No you bought a magnet and a flag and made the chinese more money. So if you have a grandfather or father or brother or whatever who has served give them a call today and thank them, its literally the least you can do.
