Sunday, November 11, 2007

Veterans Deserve Quality Medical Care and for Citizens to Vote

Thank You, Veterans !


Veteran's Day is the annual occasion when we honor our U.S.A. armed forces for their dedication to preserving our freedoms, sometimes risking their lives. Some other countries recognize their veterans with the Nov. 11th date named Armistice Day, as originally designated at the conclusion of World War I. (See archives for the Nov. 11, 2006 post.)

Many Americans, including some of my family members, were veterans of WWI which was centered in Europe. The horrific consequences of the weapons used, including destructive bombs and effects of chemicals/gas led many people to believe war would never again occur.

Then years later, the unthinkable happened when the U.S.A.'s military troops were directly assaulted in Hawaii. World War II escalated until most people everywhere were eventually embroiled in some way. Many in our country had family members who volunteered to serve as did mine. Everyone was convinced at the climax of this nightmarish conflagration and holocaust, that this was the war that ended all wars, that genocide would never again happen. How mistaken we were.

I do believe that the sacrifices made by our armed forces during WWII are directly responsible for the fact our country continued to exist as the free democracy/republic our constitution's creators intended. For this reason I accord special tribute to those WWII surviving veterans whose numbers diminish daily, as well as to those who live only in spirit now.

The wars did not end, though we sometimes sidestep use of the word, "war." So it was that we engaged in a "Police Action" in Korea. Those who died, the maimed, the survivors might well attest that the actions during that confrontation seemed quite identical to those of war.

The next major bloody action in which lives were forever altered occurred in Viet Nam. So many lives were lost, others survived with many becoming "walking wounded." Our servicemen and women have been asked to serve in various locations around the world in peace-keeping efforts since then. They have exposed themselves to death's potential and some have made that final sacrifice representing our nation.

Even now, as I write this, our country has increased veterans numbers by embroiling them in war in Afghanistan and Iraq with all the tragedy that entails. Whatever is each individuals view of this latest war, I honor those who have had to fulfill their military commitment in the manner of veterans before them.

All veterans, in the U.S.A. and around the world, have made sacrifices in the name of their country. Some have given their lives, others have survived, some with remaining injuries of outward physical and/or mental change, some with inner wounds invisible to the eye.

I believe as a nation our people should be insistent that our veterans receive not only initial optimum timely medical care, but continued long term therapeutic interventions needed to maximize their quality of life. I am greatly distressed whenever I become aware veterans have not received the highest level of care as media and government reports have revealed this past year.

I fervently urge our legislators and government to ensure all our veterans receive the medical care promised them and of which they are so deserving. The very least each of us can do is to lobby our government on our veterans behalf, insisting on this medical care and the immediate correction of any problems associated with its provision.

We also honor our veterans when we acquaint ourselves with local, state, national and international issues that affect all our lives, then express our views by voting on election days. Our veterans have offered their lives so that we can enjoy freedom. In return, our responsibility is to vote in elections, a small act compared to the actions we've required of our veterans.

Thank you, again, veterans !

10 comments:

  1. Jored,
    I'm so grateful for your faithful attendance to my blog. I've often thought of you and OUR red hair and it never leaves my memory. The interesting thing to me is that even in cyberspace, a person---even an 85 year old crone, can connect to someone of the same mind.

    Thank you, thank you. I'm sure there are many more of us out there with incredible stories that will never be heard. It's very depressing to me to think about them. However,personally I'm so grateful for all my blog friends that listen to my mundane and often meshugenah menanderings. Just remember: I'm not dead yet---and I still love your brilliance.

    Keep posting. You're a window on the world.

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  2. goldenlucyd: Thanks for stopping by and your comment. Age is no barrier to shared thoughts. Am sure OUR red hair has something to do with it. Some of the best stories to be heard come from 85 yr old crones such as yourself, and I delight in reading them.

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  3. Joared,

    In the matter of taking good care of our veterans, I am afraid that the present government has failed miserably.

    Some of our young men and women are waiting months for appointments at the VA hospitals around the country. While they wait, they often suffer.

    A local activist here in Pennsylvania has a suggestion that he hopes will be put into action in relief of these veterans.

    His plan is for every Doctor in the country to "Adopt" a veteran to take care of. Just think, the young man or woman who needs help would be treated locally by a Doctor who would have a sincere interest in him/her.No long waits for appointments with a hassled Doctor at the VA who has hundreds of others to take care of at the same time. The local Doctor would become a friend, healer and champion of the vet who needs him .

    What do you think? Would it work?

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  4. It breaks my heart to see how our veterans have been abandoned in so many ways Joared. These are our heroes to be praised and celebrated. We need to take care of them as well as they took care of us. Thank you for this post...it was wonderful.

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  5. Nancy: Your description of the "adopt a Vet" sounds viable. I'll write some more about this later.

    Joy: What does the way we treat so many of our veterans say about our government and our values as a society? Why aren't more people enraged and demanding corrective action?

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  6. Our young men and women of the military are our future leaders. They deserve all the best for the sacrifices they make.

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  7. Thank you for the Thank you!
    Naomi sent me over.
    I don't have the time or energy to list the details. My husband battled long and hard for 10 years before he finally received a pittance of what he deserved for benefits. NONE of which was retroactive. Veterans are NOT getting a fair deal.

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  8. Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic. If possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more information? It is extremely helpful for me. scottsdale family physicians

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    1. Thanks for your comment and interest. Since this is my personal blog and I simply write whatever catches my fancy, I don’t typically try to update my old blog posts though this certainly continues to be a pertinent and worthy topic still today.

      Coincidentally, when vetting the physicians group I was surprised to find one of the physicians in your group was my children’s and my doctor during the few years we lived in the area some decades ago. Originally he was my children’s doctor, then mine. I recall he said his Air Force experience during the Bay of Pigs contributed to his rapid diagnosing of a medical problem I had been contending with that I had received unsuccessful treatment for as migraine attacks for several years in the Midwest. His simple diagnosis, treatment and education about how I could prevent or manage any symptoms has had me citing his name and singing his praises to this day — a significant positive quality of life issue for which I have been most grateful — vĂ©rtigo is no fun and can have serious consequences that I appreciated even more when years later I became a Speech-Language Pathologist practicing in medical settings.

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