Veteran's Day
Nov. 11th, 2017 01:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dragonlady7via http://ift.tt/2zAs0BG:
gwydionmisha:
To me supporting the troops means only putting them in harms way when the cause is worthy and the mission clear. It means not starting random wars for no real reason except the ego of the President. It means giving them body armour, and well armored transports, and sufficient supplies. It means a good support system, access to quality medical and care when they come home, and real help adjusting and dealing with all the crap they have suffered in our name. It means psychiatric help where needed. It means fixing what needs fixing at the VA. It means prosecuting the people who rape their fellow soldiers instead of punishing the rape survivors as is the current policy. It means the GI Bill. It means excellent health benefits, job placement help, and COL increases for disabled vets and the families of our dead. It means not taking away the free medical care we promised them when they agreed to serve and kicking them out into the for profit insurance market as is the current Republican plan. It means fixing the wait times for health care and disability processing. It means considering every drop of blood valuable and every person who has served, will serve, and/or is serving now as people deserving of the best we can offer them in exchange for the sacrifices they make.
I think about WWI a lot on Veteran’s Day. It’s the war most people forget. It’s the war that took my mother’s Uncle Billy’s leg and ruined his lungs. Such horrific carnage and sacrifice to no good purpose really. Rich old men of power sat far back from the lines and ordered wave after wave of young men to die horribly, and those men went. A generation of young men were ground to hamburger because the men making the decisions were using a hundred year old+ tactics in an era of machine guns, poison gas, and flame throwers.
People liken Iraq and Afghanistan to Vietnam, and I think of that too, but I also think of WWI. It seems like we’ve learned nothing from either one and I suspect we’re going to learn nothing from these either. We send young women and men off to horror, and we still really can’t say what it’s for and the rich men in power begrudge the survivors every penny.
I honor those who’ve sacrificed, and at the same time I wish we’d stop demanding it frivolously and honor our debt to those who’ve served.
* My Grandfather’s Service: http://ift.tt/2zAXJ5F
(Your picture was not posted)
gwydionmisha:
To me supporting the troops means only putting them in harms way when the cause is worthy and the mission clear. It means not starting random wars for no real reason except the ego of the President. It means giving them body armour, and well armored transports, and sufficient supplies. It means a good support system, access to quality medical and care when they come home, and real help adjusting and dealing with all the crap they have suffered in our name. It means psychiatric help where needed. It means fixing what needs fixing at the VA. It means prosecuting the people who rape their fellow soldiers instead of punishing the rape survivors as is the current policy. It means the GI Bill. It means excellent health benefits, job placement help, and COL increases for disabled vets and the families of our dead. It means not taking away the free medical care we promised them when they agreed to serve and kicking them out into the for profit insurance market as is the current Republican plan. It means fixing the wait times for health care and disability processing. It means considering every drop of blood valuable and every person who has served, will serve, and/or is serving now as people deserving of the best we can offer them in exchange for the sacrifices they make.
I think about WWI a lot on Veteran’s Day. It’s the war most people forget. It’s the war that took my mother’s Uncle Billy’s leg and ruined his lungs. Such horrific carnage and sacrifice to no good purpose really. Rich old men of power sat far back from the lines and ordered wave after wave of young men to die horribly, and those men went. A generation of young men were ground to hamburger because the men making the decisions were using a hundred year old+ tactics in an era of machine guns, poison gas, and flame throwers.
People liken Iraq and Afghanistan to Vietnam, and I think of that too, but I also think of WWI. It seems like we’ve learned nothing from either one and I suspect we’re going to learn nothing from these either. We send young women and men off to horror, and we still really can’t say what it’s for and the rich men in power begrudge the survivors every penny.
I honor those who’ve sacrificed, and at the same time I wish we’d stop demanding it frivolously and honor our debt to those who’ve served.
* My Grandfather’s Service: http://ift.tt/2zAXJ5F
(Your picture was not posted)
