The Sad Truth About Wounded Veterans Of Iraq And Afghanistan

Politicians love to say that they honor the sacrifices of our veterans who go to war, but when it is suggested that we need to do more for veterans, many have problems with the concept and the funding involved.

On Veterans Day, we are reminded of the ultimate sacrifice paid by those who have died in the service of their country. The fact that over 5,000 soldiers have died in Iraq and Afghanistan is noted, and these people are mourned.

But we forget those military personnel who are wounded in war, whether physically or mentally, with the reality that mental injuries are often hard to detect, and may take years to show up, as with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.

The fact that veterans who survive have a high level of PTSD, suicide, drug addiction, alchoholism, divorce, and violence is very troubling, and has not been fully addressed by our government, although now the Obama Administration is trying to give new attention to these issues.

But how many Americans realize that if we count reported injuries, which are certainly the tip of the iceberg, that over 35,000 American soldiers have been wounded and disabled by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, seven times the total who have died?

The problems they have, therefore, will exist and be part of the long term future of our nation, and we need to dedicate ourselves, on this day, 91 years after the end of World War I, to action on a massive scale to assist all of our warriors in their adjustment to their injuries, both physical and mental. They deserve nothing less!

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