The Empire Page

As we approach yet another Memorial Day we start to see increased attention and hoopla surrounding honoring our fallen veterans. This is a good thing and an honorable thing. It also happens every year on Veterans Day in November. So we increase the nation’s awareness to our fallen veterans in May and in November.

In my humble opinion, this is not enough and doesn’t go far enough. We have troops dying almost every day in the two primary wars in which we are involved. Surely this ultimate sacrifice deserves more than a couple memorials each year. As a nation, we should be looking for ways to honor these fallen veterans by showing our surviving veterans the attention they deserve and by making sure the families of our veterans are taken care of in some measure.

This is not to say there aren’t any volunteer groups, or government sponsored programs, that provide a measure of assistance to veterans and their families. There are several such groups and programs. I don’t believe there are enough or they go far enough. As great a country we live in I still get the feeling that veterans are treated as second class citizens after they return from war. Look at how the returning veterans from Viet Nam were treated and still are treated to this day. They didn’t decide to send themselves to Viet Nam, their country did.

I volunteer for one of the groups that primarily assist returning combat veterans. The group is the New York State for Veterans, Inc. (NYS4VETS). Our primary purpose is the find returning veterans jobs, and not just any jobs. Jobs in the area in which they wish to raise a family and jobs for which they have received training in their service to this country. We sit with them to prepare a resume, which most have never done, and we contact prospective employers on their behalf to set up employment interviews. We basically take that extra step further than the NYS Department of Labor or the Division of Veterans Affairs would take them. In addition, if they have yet to attend college, we assist them by contacting admissions at colleges to get them accepted into a college.

Returning from an extended military deployment and acclimating oneself into civilian life can be a daunting task for a veteran. In many cases they have families and what they need as soon as possible is a job to support their family. What many are finding is that the safety net they once could expect to rely on is no longer there. A safety net is usually provided by their parents or siblings. What has happened with increased frequency is when they return their parents and siblings have been laid off and are unemployed. This only compounds the problem and the urgency to find meaningful employment.

This is where NYS4VETS steps in, and we’re there for them every day, all year. We haven’t forgotten them. We provide these services free of charge to them. They have already provided their services to us, and many of them have paid a heavy price in terms of returning handicapped or emotionally scarred. This is the least we can do for them. Many have written about their experience with NYS4VETSand you can read what they have said at: www.nys4vets.org.

My solemn prayer is that all Americans start to realize that our veterans are heroes and they deserve to be treated in a special way and a reverent way. They are doing what most of us would not want to do. They are voluntarily putting themselves in harm’s way and asking for nothing in return. They all have a deep abiding love their country, and you are our country. So, let’s not just honor them as they return at the airport and on a couple of special days during the year. Get out and actively support them by volunteering for a not-for-profit group like NYS4VETS or some other group and if you can’t volunteer or don’t have the time, then make a monetary donation to a group.

Let’s start to really show our veterans the honor and respect they truly deserve. God bless them and their families and God bless America.

Douglas Boettner

Doug.boettner@gmail.com