Memorial Day will not be observed by insurgents in the arid wasteland of Al-Anbar Province or in the rugged mountain peaks and passes in the lawless, no man's land separating Afghanistan and Pakistan. On those distant fronts and many others, rifles will crack, mortars will rain down, improvised devices will explode, and rocket propelled grenades will streak, all wreaking their usual havoc on fragile flesh and bone. Today, like any other, the life-blood of soldiers and teachers and merchants and innocent children alike will join up in crimson watersheds and ebb away, feeding the always insatiable Grim Reaper.
For those men and women returning from the indescribable carnage of war, the painful memories of lost comrades and life changing injuries will be with them forever. To make matters worse, today’s veterans are returning to a battered economy. Paul Rieckhoff, President of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and author of Chasing Ghosts, notes that "From rising unemployment to high foreclosure rates in military towns, everything that is hitting the average American is hitting veterans and their families harder. The reports we released today explain these distressing trends and propose tangible solutions."
Today's veterans are incredibly well trained, and anyone accustomed to driving a truck full of explosives through hostile territory or keeping a communication network up and running while dodging snipers can probably handle the routine stress of the corresponding civilian workplace! One conduit for prospective employers to all that that kind of training and intense on-the-job experience can provide is Hire Heroes USA (HHUSA):
HHUSA's mission is to provide career placement assistance to all of our returning service men and women. The HHUSA program focuses on the career placement of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans, specializing in the placement of those injured or with any level of disability ...
Another great thing about HHUSA is they are solely supported by volunteers and contributions, so there is no cost to work with them as an employer or join them as a veteran. This is where blogs of any political flavor can contribute: with all our brainpower, connections, and sheer numbers, we are ideally equipped to help our veterans succeed in the very same society they signed up to protect. So we've put together a brief letter below you can email your HR manager or other contacts at any business, large or small. All you have to do is send it.
Maybe, in the not too distant future, the day will come when war, mankind's greatest sin, fades from living memory. But sadly, that day is not today. Until then, for all who wear the uniform, we at Daily Kos thank you for your service on this Memorial Day, and wish you a safe and happy return home as soon as possible.
I heard about an organization called Hire Heroes USA over Memorial Day weekend. It's a job placement service for veterans and one great thing about it; they don’t charge either the employer or employee for job placement assistance! I know even in these tough economic times were always looking for exceptional, well trained people, so would it be OK if I forwarded your name and contact info to the Director Corporate Relations? Her name is Sara Trask and she can be reached at 314-770-7220, website http://www.hireheroesusa.org/... and the main number is 1-866-915-HERO.