Tens of thousands of soldiers have come home seriously injured, missing limbs, or with severe Traumatic Brain Injury from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This Veteran's Day in addition to remembering those who gave their lives for their country remember those who sacrificed and came home broken. They need your help, and here are practical ways that you can provide that help.
Veteran's Day this year is more bittersweet than ever as soldiers, military families, and civilians gather together to honor the lives of those lost at Fort Hood on 11/05. But this Veteran's Day instead of simply taking a moment to remember the brave men and women who have died for this country, and their families, take action. Honor those who died by helping those who have served, but were gravely injured and now struggle to adjust to life with serious illnesses or missing limbs. It's estimated that more than 10,000 soldiers have been wounded just in Iraq, with thousands more injured in Afghanistan. Sadly, the number of injured coming home from Afghanistan is going to rise before the troops are withdrawn.
IED blasts and suicide bombs are sending our soldiers home with debilitating injuries that can take months of specialized care to heal from. Care that they are not getting. My own husband survived five direct IED blasts and came home with all his limbs, but severe Traumatic Brain Injury. He came 8 months ago, was diagnosed 6 months ago, and is still waiting for treatment despite the fact that the post we are stationed at has a top rated TBI clinic. And he is far from the only one. Soldiers and their families are left to deal with the aftereffects of serious injury totally on their own.
But you know that. The news is filled with stories of soldiers receiving inadequate care, not getting the medicines or prosthetics they need, and "falling through the cracks". What you may not know is what you can do to help. Because you can help. You can help immensely. On a large scale or small, with a few dollars or an hour of your time or a phone call, you can help.
This Veteran's Day honor those who have fallen, and those who have stumbled and now need help. Don't get so caught up in the rhetoric about whether or not to bring the troops home from Afghanistan or whether or not the Fort Hood shooter was a terrorist or any of the other theoretical debates surrounding the military that you forget about the soldiers who served, and came home broken and had their lives torn apart. They need to know that they are heroes, and that that they are valued, and remembered. Here's how to help:
Join the IAVA - The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is the most powerful advocacy group for soldiers. They are doing an amazing job raising awareness of the issues affecting soldiers and getting legislation passed to help soldiers who come home injured and their families. The IAVA website has Action Updates that will tell you what initiatives they are working on and how to help get those pieces of legislation passed.
Join the Wounded Warrior Project - The Wounded Warrior Project advocates for wounded soldiers and also provides job skills training, counseling, and other support to injured soldiers and their families.
Join the US Wounded Soldiers Foundation -The US Wounded Soldiers Foundation has great information on how to provide practical support for wounded US soldiers and their families.
Put pressure on Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma - Senator Coburn, a Republican, has stopped the passing of legislation that will help vets and their families by putting a hold on several bills. According to the Army Times :
Coburn has been identified by Senate aides as the lawmaker preventing consideration of S 1963, the Veterans’ Caregiver and Omnibus Health Benefits Act of 2009, by using an informal but legal practice of putting a hold on a bill.
Earlier this fall, Coburn placed holds on S 252, the Veterans Health Care Authorization Act of 2009, and S 728, the Veterans’ Insurance and Benefits Enhancement Act of 2009, which led to the introduction of S 1963, which combines key provisions of the two earlier bills in an effort to get around Coburn’s opposition.
Call Senator Coburn's Office at: Washington: 202-224-5754; Tulsa: 918-581-7651; Oklahoma City: 405-231-4941 or use this form to send him an email telling him to stop his hold on this legislation.
Write Letters - There are lots of great organizations that help out soldiers who are deployed, like Soldiers Angels, but you can also sign up to send letters of thanks and support to wounded soldiers who are recovering from war injuries. http://www.uswoundedsoldiers.co/... is a great organization to join to do that.
Support Horses4Heroes - Hippotherapy has long been used to help physically disabled kids and adults regain muscle, balance, and motor coordination. Horses4Heroes is providing equine therapy for wounded vets. Join Horses4Heroes to find out more about how they are helping vets regain their independence. Find out if there is a hipp0therapy center in your area and volunteer to walk a horse during a therapy session or volunteer in other ways.
Support Operation Bandaid - Soldiers arriving from combat to Landstuhl Army Hospital in Germany arrive literally with just their uniforms and sometimes a rucksack. You can buy and send items like toiletries, sweatshirts, shoes, DVDs, and gift cards for stores and restaurants near the hospital that will be distributed to soldiers who need them.
Operation Bandaid has a list of supplies they need and where to send them. You can also send cards and letters, which will be greatly appreciated by soldiers arriving there wounded.
On a local level- Call the VFW or the VA and ask about local organizations that help wounded soldiers and their families. If you live near a military installation call the local MWR office and volunteer to teach a class for wounded soldiers or their families that will help them find a new job, learn a new skill, or manage their households more efficiently. Volunteer at the local VA hospital and read to soldiers, or just visit them to let them know they are not forgotten. Sit and talk with them.
Make dinner once a week and drop it off to a wounded soldier's family, or volunteer to clean their house once a week.Sit with a wounded vet for an evening so his or her spouse or partner can take an evening off.There are a million small ways that you can make life easier for a wounded vet and his or her family, partner, or spouse.
It doesn't take a lot to make a difference in the life of a military family.