"Honoring Our Veterans for Their Service and Sacrifice" needs to begin by setting the tone.
There is a difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to this nation and passed away. Veterans Day is for the men and women who also gave their lives and lived. The term "giving their lives" also means that their own personal needs, wants, comforts, are set aside for the "greater good" so much so, they were willing to die for it.
There is a problem in this country when politicians blend the two together. The dead can ask no more of us other than to care for the living and we have failed at that. You have done a lot for veterans since you served on the Veterans Affairs Committee. You should be applauded for all you've done but even you admit there is much more that needs to be done. Veterans Day is for the men and women coming home from the wars we sent them to fight.
Going to lay a wreath is honoring the fallen while those still standing fall everyday. They fall by suicide. They fall into homelessness. They fall into an oblivious society. Their families fall apart. They fall into the valley of claims that came before them wondering when it will be their time to have their service honored, wounds tended to and suffering healed.
Next Veterans Day you will still be in office so please consider instead of laying a wreath for the dead on Veterans Day, you stand before veterans and tell them what they mean to you by looking them in the eyes and saying;
There are no more homeless veterans.
There is no more backlog of claims.
There are no more suicides.
Veterans are no longer suffering higher unemployment than civilians.
Every veteran with PTSD has been healed if not cured.
No family ever again has to wonder what's wrong with their veteran. They know what PTSD is.
You have tried to get things done on these issues but you need to do more, and make sure Congress does as well, to make sure that next Veterans Day, there are not more added needlessly to those you remember on Memorial Day.
The White House Blog
Weekly Address: Honoring Our Veterans for Their Service and Sacrifice
Posted by Matt Compton on November 12, 2011
President Obama speaks from the USS Carl Vinson in San Diego during Veterans Day and calls on all Americans to rededicate themselves to serving our brave men and women in uniform as well as they have served us.
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