"I served my country. Now what's my country doing for me?" (1 Viewer)

[jules118]

Ok, maybe a little serious for some of us in this forum, but it's something that I think should receive more attention in the wider community. After an ANZAC day where I thought about a couple of mates who found it easier to permanently 'check out' rather than deal with what they had been through, damaged friends and their failed relationships, I stumbled across this today.

We're quick to wave the flag and say how much we support our troops, but behind the rah rah are we failing those that have stepped up and donned the uniform? Things don't seem to be much different here in Australia, the US or the UK... lots of talk, but a general inability and reluctance to actually deal with many of the issues confronting veterans.

http://dartcenter.org/content/brain-injuries-remain-undiagnosed-in-thousands-soldiers

"When someone's missing a limb, you can see that," said Sgt. William Fraas, a Bronze Star recipient who survived several roadside blasts in Iraq. He can no longer drive, or remember simple lists of jobs to do around the house. "When someone has a brain injury, you can't see it, but it's still serious."

..."I always put the military first, even before my family and friends. Now looking back, I wonder if I did the right thing," she said. "I served my country. Now what's my country doing for me?"

 

[Mitch]

I don't think, well, in the UK at least, that the public has forgotten the troops. Many private things are being done help for heroes and a raft of other collections for their rehabilitation etc.

Letters and presents are still being sent to the frontline troops so, past flag waving the public are doing what they can. The question is is everyone else who should be helping?????

Things are getting better but, a way to go yet.
Mitch

 

[Scott]

In the US there was the issue that veteran services and hospital facilities were not up to "speed" for the amount of cases that Iraq and Afghanistan produced. I hope that that this is still not the case. Wounded and killed servicemen and women were covered initially in the news but in the case of a horribly burnt Marine publicized in a photo of his wedding, his marriage soon broke up and he had issues getting benefits.
Jessica Lynch's capture and rescue was highly fictionalized as was the death of football player Pat Tillman.

There's still plenty of "Support Our Troops" signs on town parks and bumper stickers around here.

 

[jules118]

I don't think, well, in the UK at least, that the public has forgotten the troops. Many private things are being done help for heroes and a raft of other collections for their rehabilitation etc.

Letters and presents are still being sent to the frontline troops so, past flag waving the public are doing what they can. The question is is everyone else who should be helping?????

Things are getting better but, a way to go yet.
Mitch

I dunno Mitch, I wonder if the UK is a bit like Australia, bit of rah rah, wave the flag every ANZAC or Remembrance day, pay lip service about how much we appreciate what they're doing and then most forget about them? Only small handfuls of people doing stuff for the servicemen and their families when it's not a media event whilst the rest of the population and government go back to the 'important' issues like the football?

Unfortunately that's the reality of what is happening here in Australia. The government and it seems, the general population, only want to know about the 'feel good' stuff, the rest of it is out of sight, out of mind. Out of my social circle/peer group from my time in the army, two suicides, four medical related discharges (classified as TPI - Totally & Permanently Incapicitated) due to mental health issues related to their operational deployments and shedload of 'damaged' individuals who have not received any help whatsoever... and meanwhile their relationships break down, can't hold a 'normal' job and engage in increasingly risky behaviour. And that's just amongst the guys I know personally. If they're not in uniform (and nobody wears the uniform for ever), nobody knows and nobody cares, they just think these guys are a**holes without even beginning to try to understand why... let alone lend a helping hand. Don't get me wrong, some people care, but not enough and not nearly enough of those who should and can make a difference.

I suspect that it may be the same in the UK as I was watching some multimedia documentaries about veterans issues a few weeks ago. There was some good Brit stuff and I will try to find the link. Just had a quick look for it and did not find it but stumbled across this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuzNoph56ss

1 in 10 prisoners in the UK is a former serviceman and more former Brit servicemen in prison than there are currently on operations in the ME. Those sorts of stats make me wonder if the government and the country really are doing enough for their servicemen? I'll keep looking and post that Brit vet's doco.

jules

 

[Scott]

A while back I looked at Massachusetts records on Union Army units and found the following. Here's some extracts from late 1865 from various Massachusetts town mayors and selectmen.

Bridgewater. That portion of the returned soldiers who at the time of their enlistment were of age to have acquired habits and characters for themselves, apparently returned as moral, upright men as when they entered the service. A portion of them who entered the army young, from sixteen to twenty years of age, have apparently returned more addicted to the use of strong drink and profane language than when they entered the service. Van R. Swift, Chairman Selectmen.

Hamilton. None of the returned soldiers of this town have been guilty of any crime since their return home, to the best of our knowledge and belief, and we have good reason to believe that their morals and habits, taken as a whole (except, perhaps, the habit of profanity), are as good as they were before they entered the army. N. B. Butler, Chairman Selectmen.

Holden. I am happy to state that no one of our returned soldiers has been complained of for misdemeanor since their return. We would most cheerfully endorse the opinion as expressed by your Honor, with one exception, viz.: the use of tobacco. G. Broad, for the Selectmen.

Leominster. None of our returned soldiers have been guilty of any flagrant violation of the laws, and, perhaps, a large majority of them have not been seriously contaminated by their army experience; but I am sorry to say that we have several of our younger soldiers, who left home steady, industrious young men, and have returned dissipated, unwilling to work, and far from having been improved by their army experience. A. L. Burdett, for the Selectmen.

Norton. I have no knowledge that any of our returned soldiers have been guilty of any crime since their return home, and I am of the opinion that being in the army has not made any marked improvement In their habits. I am sorry to differ with you, however, in regard to the returned soldiers as a body. So far as my knowledge and acquaintance with them in this part of the State extends, I think the tendency has been to demoralize and dissipate them.W. D. Witherell, Chairman Selectmen.

South Danvers. There seems to have been, since the return of the soldiers, an increase of crime generally in the community; but, after a somewhat extensive investigation of the matter, I do not find that the remark applies to this town, or to its returned soldiers; and yet I know no reason why it should be an exception. J. Poor, Chairman Selectmen.

Webster. The habit of most of the men are as good now as when they enlisted. A few, I have no doubt, were improved by being connected with the military service, while a small number, belonging to a class of men not likely to improve under any circumstances, came out of the army "seven times worse " than they were when they entered it. The habit of using intoxicating liquors too freely seems to me to be the one acquired or confirmed by those made worse by being in military service. F. D. Brown, Chairman Selectmen.

Wrentham. Only one has been guilty of any criminal act, but we must be endure the painful necessity of saying that their experience in camp life has not appeared to increase in many of them the habits of temperance and industry. • James T. Ford, Chairman Selectmen.

[The full reports, from which the above extracts are taken, may be found in the Annual Report of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts for the year ending Dec. 31,1865, pp. 141-218.]

Massachusetts in the army and navy during the war of 1861-65, Volume 2
By Thomas Wentworth Higginson
1895

Medical help was limited and psychiatry unknown at the time. Perhaps the pensions available plus veterans fraternal organizations like the Grand Army of the Republic helped these men.

 

[Mitch]

i think the point about once the uniform comes off is important. Many people can't accept or understand disabilities physically and mentally. I see it in the street with peoples reactions to people with disabilities there is always the lets look away or, their idiots, type of look on their faces. I don't know how to get around that thats changing a culture within societies.

I have always said that the strength of a nation is the way they treat and look after those with disabilities in general and, the way that we treat service personal and police fire etc who are injured etc in the course of their duties.

I think some always forget about service personal when they return from conflicts so, troops serving today are not unique to this. the falklands was the same and have some mates who served in Bosnia who were given no support when it was needed.

Totally agree that more should be done. But, its probably, and sadly, going to get worse with the state of the UK finances
Mitch

 

[maddadicus]

In the United States , we have a number of well known , outside the government, organizations that deal with homeless, disabled and challenged veterans, who have exhausted or dismissed their military benefits. The fact that we have veteran hospitals, where near any veteran can get lifetime care shows a level of support for our past soldiers that maybe other countries do not offer. The Wounded Warrior project is just one of the after action support systems that is available. And to address the " I served my country, where's mine now " implication, my Dad ,a Korean War vet, though a Purple Heart recipient, as did most of his contemporaries, refused practically all government benefits available, because they did their duty, with no expectations. We, here in the States have not forgotten our troops and our troops have mostly never returned home , with their hands out. It is sad that a small segment of any countries' population forget the sacrifice of our troops that they might have that freedom to forget...Michael

 

[bromhead]

In the United States , we have a number of well known , outside the government, organizations that deal with homeless, disabled and challenged veterans, who have exhausted or dismissed their military benefits. The fact that we have veteran hospitals, where near any veteran can get lifetime care shows a level of support for our past soldiers that maybe other countries do not offer. The Wounded Warrior project is just one of the after action support systems that is available. And to address the " I served my country, where's mine now " implication, my Dad ,a Korean War vet, though a Purple Heart recipient, as did most of his contemporaries, refused practically all government benefits available, because they did their duty, with no expectations. We, here in the States have not forgotten our troops and our troops have mostly never returned home , with their hands out. It is sad that a small segment of any countries' population forget the sacrifice of our troops that they might have that freedom to forget...Michael

In the recent past we saw the "pow not forgotten" flags in a lot of places,,thats kind of in the past now,,heard any recent administrations talk much about that?lesson learned ,,dont get captured or left behind.Think about the brit veterans of the colonial wars trying to sell victoria crosses on street corners for eating money

 

[bromhead]

In the US there was the issue that veteran services and hospital facilities were not up to "speed" for the amount of cases that Iraq and Afghanistan produced. I hope that that this is still not the case. Wounded and killed servicemen and women were covered initially in the news but in the case of a horribly burnt Marine publicized in a photo of his wedding, his marriage soon broke up and he had issues getting benefits.
Jessica Lynch's capture and rescue was highly fictionalized as was the death of football player Pat Tillman.

There's still plenty of "Support Our Troops" signs on town parks and bumper stickers around here.

yeah sure there are

 

[Scott]

yeah sure there are

My daughter on the left...

 

[bromhead]

too bad those individual tributes and support werent there when some of us were very alone and needed them