It is a time for saying thanks and for saluting those who protect the United States.
Today is Veterans Day, a national holiday in honor of those who have served or are serving in the armed forces. That includes an estimated 16.5 million living Americans, including more than 500,000 in Washington.
The vast majority of those served as volunteers, heeding their nation’s call in times of war and times of peace. Which brings to mind a quote attributed to journalist Elmer Davis: “This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.”
The brave periodically have been sent to defend American values across the globe, protecting the United States and her allies from despots and tyrants in armed conflict. And while some conflicts have been pursued under specious reasoning, we recognize that those who serve do not make such decisions; they simply perform their duty as defined by elected officials and military leaders.
The origins of Veterans Day can be traced to the aftermath of World War I, when Armistice Day was founded to honor Americans who had died in The Great War. Following World War II, the holiday was expanded to recognize all those who had served; Memorial Day in May honors those who died in military service.
While we take time today to salute those who have defended our nation, we also call to mind a quote attributed to President John F. Kennedy: “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
Living up to our words requires improvements to health care and services through the Department of Veterans Affairs. For many who have served, the battle does not end after they leave the military.
As Phillip Carter of ForeignAffairs.com has written: “Despite some recent improvements, the VA and other federal agencies struggle to keep other promises to active service members and veterans after they come home. Aging bureaucracies struggle to meet the needs of a diverse and dispersed population. Educational and economic support programs fail to keep pace with the changing needs of veterans and their families. To fix these problems, the United States must rewrite the contract it strikes with its service members, building a support system that not only ameliorates their battle wounds and financial losses but also helps them thrive after their service in a 21st-century economy.”
VA officials estimate that more than 130,000 veterans are homeless, including more than 1,500 in Washington. And various studies have indicated that both veterans and active-duty personnel have high rates of mental illness, most frequently involving post-traumatic stress disorder or depression.
Despite these facts, health care that has been promised to service members often is lacking. In the latest example, an electronic records system tested in Spokane was found to be flawed, delaying treatment for thousands of veterans. A wider rollout of the system has been delayed.
The American people have entered into a contract to care for active service members and veterans in exchange for their work on behalf of our nation. Improvements to the VA system are necessary to live up to that contract.
While shortcomings in the system remain, our gratitude for veterans remains resolute. We recognize such gratitude today, acknowledging the millions of Americans who have put themselves in harm’s way when their nation called on them.
