Friday, November 11 is Veterans Day. I am sure that everyone knows at least one man or woman who has served our nation, and many of us are proud to have one or more of these brave individuals in our family trees. Each veteran’s experience with serving our nation was different from the experience of any other veteran. Veterans of the same war may have experienced similar things because they were serving at the same time and place, but each has his or her own unique story to tell. In honor of Veterans Day and in honor of my favorite veteran (my Dad), I thought that I would share some information about how veterans feel about the holiday that was created to honor their service to our nation and their commitment to our freedom.
For example, some veterans of the Vietnam War believe that they were never given a proper homecoming. Both veterans of that war as well as those people who lived during that time can tell stories of how the war was not a popular war and how the public sentiment about the war was very visible throughout the nation. Many Vietnam veterans arrived home to a chilly reception, which did not help to ease any pain or trauma that they had experienced during their time overseas. Some states have enacted legislation for a one-time observance of Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day and others have enacted legislation for a yearly observance. In both cases, that holiday would have been observed on March 30, the anniversary of the date in 1973 when the first American troops withdrew from Vietnam. Some veterans feel that this recognition is important while others feel that it is not right to establish a special day just for them and not for veterans of other wars.
In contrast, veterans who are now returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq are being welcomed with open arms. Unfortunately, the celebration does not last long as these brave individuals attempt to settle back into the flow of everyday life. The tough economy spares no one, not even those who have served. The unemployment rate for people who have served since September 11, 2001, are experiencing a 12.1 percent unemployment rate. The national unemployment for all individuals is 9 percent. Young male veterans ages 20 to 24 seem to be having the roughest time finding jobs, and the problem is expected to worsen as more troops come home. There have been some efforts by both the government and private groups to help create jobs for these new veterans, yet the problem persists. It may be difficult for these individuals to feel celebrated and honored on Veterans Day.
These are just a couple of examples of how different veterans might feel about Veterans Day. Ask the veterans in your family what their experience was like, and how they feel about the holiday. They may be the quiet type, and they may not wish to talk a lot about it. Or, they could be more than willing to talk about where they went and what they did. Either way, each veteran has a unique story. Each of them has made an important contribution to our nation, and it is important that they are honored and appreciated for their service.