Protecting Our Own

The United States Armed Forces (military) is part of our society. These men and women have made the ultimate choice to defend and protect our nation and we should all be grateful. Stories about our men and women in uniform, fighting a war to protect our nation, pull at our heartstrings and score ratings for networks and page views for bloggers. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are hot button political topics and fodder for Sunday morning talk shows, but what happens after the stories run? The pundits and politicians revel in the chance to sing their praises of the military and drum up support for their causes, but how much of the media blitz benefits the soldiers in harm’s way?

The statistics, while staggering, do not initiate a call to action. According to the Department of Defense, there have been 4,338 casualties of Operation Iraqi Freedom since 2003 and another 863 casualties of Operation Enduring Freedom since 2001. We have been desensitized and don’t associate the casualties with real people with real lives. This is evident by our response to soldiers when they come home. Many of these soldiers, while alive, come home with severe injuries that will change their lives forever. The majority are treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, but that’s the extent. Again, they are treated for the visible physical injuries. They need more than just physical rehabilitation when they return home. Yes, there are medals awarded for bravery and valor, but a medal is not a substitute for a career or the ability to support a family. There are thousands of cases where soldiers are amputees and cannot resume their former military duties, and there is little to no assistance available to them to pursue other opportunities which can be almost impossible to obtain, making it even more difficult for soldiers to regain their footing into society.

You see all of the politicians and “patriots” wearing the American flag pendants on their lapels, but what does that mean? Are they actively supporting our military and acting as advocates? What are we, as citizens, doing to support the troops when they return home? How many benefit concerts, celebrity visits, and articles does it take to be able to provide assistance to the soldiers? Talk show hosts are quick to express their outrage when they hear of military atrocities, but they aren’t as quick to create or provide actual hands-on support. While the current administration under President Obama is promoting national service and volunteerism, we can all be doing more. Soldiers and their families need the basics as we all do.

What happens when the war and military is no longer the hot topic? The time is now to act and find out what soldiers really need. I can guarantee that these soldiers need our support and our help, hands-on. I have seen the devastation first-hand while visiting Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The lives of these men and women have been changed forever. They have been in unimaginable situations and have experienced the unthinkable. I just listened to morning show hosts chiming in on the disrespect shown to our soldiers, but what it more disrespectful is acting as if nothing has happened and expecting them to return from a war zone to life as usual. They are protecting and defending our nation every single day. What protections are in place for the soldiers and their families when they are in the field and when they come home?