A former classmate of mine, Todd Defreitas, was interviewed for his local newspaper in Williamstown, Massachusetts. In the feature, Todd shared memories of his time in the U.S. Army as well as describing the lasting effects of that service.
To me this was an important reminder of the significance of this day. While it is intended to commemorate those Americans who have died in service to the country, I think it’s important to consider those who have survived but have given so much of themselves that they will never be the same. The sacrifices of our men and women in uniform are tremendous and should never be forgotten.
“In war, there are no unwounded soldiers.” ~José Narosky
(The photo above is Todd in basic training, age 18.)
Yes to this. Civilians (myself included) have a moral obligation to veterans: to be more objective about what their service meant and means, and to be truly–not just verbally–supportive as they reintegrate into society.
Cynthia
Cynthia, I agree. Real support is going to take a lot more than words. I thought one of the most interesting comments in this feature was by Kennedy, the Veterans Agent: “If they took care of every veteran who was screwed up by the service, I don’t think they would have any money left for anything else.” The idea that there are many veterans who don’t get the help they need is disgraceful. Seems that this isn’t a cost that is figured in when calculating the expense of war.