Carol Korreck: A Soldier's Mother: Veterans Need More Than a Parade

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http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/contributors/1431

Carol Korreck: A Soldier's Mother: Veterans Need More Than a Parade
Submitted by BuzzFlash on Mon, 11/12/2007 - 3:16pm. Reader Contribution

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by Carol Korreck

One day a year to honor our veterans is a noble gesture, and I'm sure veterans of all wars appreciate the tribute. But when one of every four homeless persons is a war veteran, it's time to overhaul the system that offers such tragically inefficient service to our soldiers and give them more than a patriotic song and march.

Democrats and Republicans can't seem to get on the same page with any issues, but on taking care of our veterans, they need to unite and take real action.

A study just released by the Homelessness Institute found that on average, 196,000 veterans slept on the streets, in shelters, or in transitional housing on any given night last year. The Veterans Affairs Department has identified 1,500 veterans of the current wars as homeless.

The Veterans Day message on the home page of the VA from acting secretary Gordon Mansfield states, "we come together to let them know their service and sacrifices will never be taken for granted."

This is one of those times when actions speak louder than words. Lip service proclaiming devotion is meaningless when we have soldiers living in the streets, fighting for medical care and finding that after extended and repeated tours of duty in Iraq, they have lost jobs, homes, spouses, and, for many, even the ability to cope with life.

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Bush has said he will veto the bill because it does not include $3.6 billion in cuts below last year's funding levels. With the repeated deployments, we cannot ignore the increased need for services for our veterans.

They have put their lives and their futures on the line for their country. We need to do more than put a yellow magnet on our car and hang a flag. Our veterans have done their duty.

Let's honor them by doing our civic duty and holding our elected officials and government accountable for taking proper care of them.

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION