FUBAR: United We Stand?
Are the current state of affairs for disabled veterans acceptable?
By Aaron R. Cathcart IV
A long haired, scruffy sort of man pulled himself from under a fishing pier to ready himself for a day that is more suitable for a dog than a human. Before moving on for the day he surveyed the area looking for the trash bins with the most likelihood of containing a morning meal. This has been his ritual for so long it has become more instinctive than a conscious effort.
In the distance the man views a comforting reminder of days gone by. With haste the man futility attempts to make himself presentable by brushing his fingers through his dirty unkept hair and tucking his torn and foul smelling shirt into his equally unpresentable jeans. He stumbles his way closer. His awkward gate was hindered by an injury from his youth.
Years of exposure and abuse has turned him into a shadow of his former self and served to magnify his already crippled state. Approaching is a tall proud man in full military dress with his wife at his side and child close in tow. A grin draws its way across his sun baked face as memories of his past life force their way to the surface. The skin on his face seems to make an audible sound as it strains to accept the unfamiliar wrinkles and crevasse formed by this rare show of emotion. His eyes catch notice of the medals proudly displayed across the broad chest of the highly tended uniform.
The unkept man reached for his left breast pocket. As his hand makes contact, for an instant, he is lost in memories of his days gone by. Regaining his composure, he bares witness as the approaching figure of American superiority lead his family in a wide arc in an direct effort to avoid him. As they pass he hears a person say, “BUM, Get a job! He could say nothing. At one time his actions were the same, making every effort to avoid what he has now become.
A sudden push from behind and he plunges to the ground with his face in the sand. A young teenager now towers above him, proud of his show show of superiority and leisurely walks away. A tear attempts an escape from his eye and is lost into labyrinth of wrinkles and crevices that had developed around his eye over time.
He lies, still at first, then slowly reaches for his breast pocket and removes a Congressional Medal of Honor awarded to him for his service during an unpopular war. It displays in stark contrast to the soiled and ungroomed hands holding it. A hero had just been avoided by a brother in arms and assaulted for personal amusement while others gathered only to watch.
Laying their he looks on as people continue with their daily activities and walk an arc around him in avoidance, only looking in his direction to ensure a safe distance is held and to satisfy their morbid curiosity of a of a broken man. We are all guilty on some level and this may become the life of some proudly serving to protect our nation today.
The above instance is purely fictional; However, it is based on fact and offers all those that choose to serve this great nation many questions that should be asked; Such as:
What makes a soldier?; When discharged, is this a severance to the protection and respect of the our Commander and Chief along with the brotherhood as well?; Why do we stop protecting or even offering a helping hand to our brothers knowing that we are just as likely be in the same situation? (Some will, and don't even know it yet.); The man as described above may have lost everything waiting for the Veterans Administration to process his claim. He, just as easily may be a spouse or sibling of a service member that has lost their lives in the performance of duty and there was little help, guidance and protection available for them to turn to.
The aid available for spouses of soldiers, their children, veterans and disabled veterans is often difficult to find and localized. It is often limited in scope and duration. In fact, when a veteran signs his/her name on the DD-Form 214 he effectively is cut free of the support and protection of his brothers, all superior officers and the Commander and Chief as well.
They are segregated from those which they served and plunged weaponless into a new world in which one must fight for the benefits already paid for through the blood and the sacrifice of our brothers who lost their lives protecting our nation and those whom served time as a POW or remain MIA; Those we swear to “Never Forget” and faithfully honor.
Historically, we have proven our willingness to serve and protect those from other countries while offering little assistance to our brothers and citizens of our own nation. The state of the current veteran nation is such that if we were viewed as a separate country we will be provided international aid and support. The international community may even force a change of government. Why do we all whom once served this country stand for this when we know, without a doubt, we will each be part of this overlooked class of people with no leader, direction, no uniting force and no chain of command when they are discharged.
If you were severely injured, do the resources currently offered veterans meet what you would expect? Each is a valid question and each is nearly impossible to answer within the limited scope of this article. However, each question deserves reflection and thought by all that serve or have served this great country. One thing is assured; divided we are weak, as one we are strong and have a voice to demand improvement and have the ability to elect those who best support the military and veterans interests.
Men and women freely enlist in the armed forces to protect this great nation and all it stands for. The United States has become a military and economic superpower due to this dedication and it is the reason our nation continues as a superpower. No matter what the rank or number of decorations one is awarded during their service or even how great their individual contribution, one equalizing and humbling fate awaits each. When one becomes a veteran, each become equal. Those, that are able to retain some semblance of their life in military service will discover it is little more than a facade subject to the erosion of time.
This and all other issues raised in this article can be solved by working as one unit and speaking with one voice. In most all instances outside the armed forces the goal of employment is to provide enough funding to meet current needs and work toward future security in an effort to provide comfortable living in the future. As protectors of this nation we must learn to work off a worse case scenario. What sets the military apart from the civilian world is the potential for loss of life is much higher than the for average civilian.
Still, we fail to account for this and dedicate appropriate effort and resources toward ensuring our needs after service requirements are met or if disabled. As a whole we simply fail to demand this personal security until we become veterans in which case we have little ground to make demands since no clear cut chain of command exists. This is compounded by the fact that, by training, we give lots of weight to superior officers. This gives way for us to view the individuals in the position of making decisions with respect to our disability claims as superior in office and take the decision made as final, when it is not.
Many look upon entering veteran status or worse disabled veteran status as if it is an easy and automatic process. In reality it takes years of fighting to, for lack a better word, 'win' their benefits. Attorneys, appeals, forms, letters and much more are required and if one item is misplaced or misfiled the applicant may have to start the process over and cause an additional delay of months or even a year or more. The process is so difficult that it strains the resources of organizations dedicated toward this issue. At times it seems to be a test of endurance. These organizations have little resources for advertising and are mostly spread by word of mouth. The added weight of financial costs and ongoing red tape during this process can drive a veteran into bankruptcy, homelessness and/or suicide. Furthermore, it can easily rip a family apart and has done so. For many years veterans have been speaking out about lack of resources and difficulty obtaining benefits where available.
They are spoken to deaf ears. Veterans are too scattered and the media has little interest. Veterans are also not the type for complaining so there are few mass complaints. Only a few stories make it to the public attention a majority do not see the front page or special report news. Only the active duty service members have the power and influence to force a change that will also ensure the stability of their own lives after their service has ended.
Ensuring care after service may be the most important decision a member of the armed forces must strive. However, it remains at the bottom of the service members priority list. Little has been heard, with respect to this issue from those who are active duty or those just entering their careers in the armed forces.
These are the years they have the most influence to ensure their own proper care and benefits after service. Serving in the armed forces, although voluntary, is looked at as more of a duty than a career or job and life after the armed forces is given little thought and/or consideration. Military service is a hazardous duty and few seek to protect their future. Improving the overall veteran outlook will require active participation by active duty members of the armed forces in all areas of veteran needs. Since the beginning this has been left to the veterans. Due to this, progress has been slow and unsatisfactory compared to the potential possible if active duty personnel and veterans worked together toward a more secure future.
Active participation and cooperation with established veteran organizations seeking to improve and retain veteran benefits is not only vital, it is an investment in the future. Those that are active duty should take a close look at what their future currently looks like as a veteran or disabled veteran and take steps to secure their own future and make changes while they have influence and a chain of command to support them.
Since we serve or served under the direction of the Commander and Chief, it should be the duty of this office to be active in monitoring and ensure those who serve or served under this office are honored and cared for in a proper manner. As a minimum this should be his duty as President of the United States to honor and ensure proper care of those who have served to protect this great nation in an effort foster prime candidates for the armed forces by providing adequate post service support and benefits. The key to change and improvement in veteran services is in the hands of those currently serving, just as the key to ensure those currently serving our nation are properly funded, deployed and equipped is the responsibility of our nations veterans.
To accomplish this veterans must create a structured way to speak with one voice. It is much easier to make a move to ensure a future with proper care while serving on active duty than it is to bring about a change after service has ended and their focus is concentrated on fighting for individual benefit. Veterans and disabled veterans need the assistance of active duty personnel to provide a voice and a hand before their careers come to an end and they too are silenced by time.
Look at the current relationship between active duty and veterans and the state and concerns of our nations veterans. If you feel the current state is satisfactory for you after your service has ended, then do nothing. However, if you feel the current standards must be improved for you to feel comfortable as a veteran or disabled veteran within the system then speak out, use your chain of command and work toward improving it for yourself and others.
Lastly, questions for military officers serving in all levels of command , Commander and Chief and veterans in positions of authority: “Is the current state of disabled veterans acceptable for those whom honorably served under your command and are now disabled?” and “Does it honor those who lost their lives under your command?” What can you do to correct it?
About the Author: Aaron R. Cathcart IV, Cdr. Gen. / Fdr
- Web Site:Disabled American Sportsmen
- Email: [email protected]
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