As we soon approach Veteran’s Day, I’ve been thinking about what it means to support our veterans. I have never served in the military, although I have friends and family whose spouses were those who served. And although I will never personally know what they went through, I feel that the best way to support them is to recognize their sacrifices.
Before I was born, my dad had enlisted in the Army National Guard. He and my mom were stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in the early 1960s during the Berlin crisis. Although my father never talked about this time in his life, my mother told me that one night my dad and his unit were boarded on military trains and waited for several hours to be deployed to Berlin. I often think back on her words and wonder how I would have handled it. I know I would have been frightened. I know I would have been frantically worried about my newly married husband’s safety. I know I would have anxiety about what I wasn’t being told and worried about the unknown future. I think about my dad too.
On this Veteran’s Day, I hope that when we think of the actual “veteran,” we can look past our preconceived notions and see the real individual. People rarely empathize with titles, but when we look at that one person and listen to them, we see our similarities; we see what makes us all human. I believe that when we empathize, we begin to understand the need to support our veterans truly. Every veteran and their families have their own stories, their fears, and their sacrifices. I believe that they only want to be heard and acknowledged.
Maybe it’s just a sign of the times, but I often wonder if the things we say “we are doing to support veterans” are just to support ourselves instead. In 2015, Sioux Falls renamed a road, “Veterans Parkway.” Their sole reason for the rename was for the following: “For people that are new to Sioux Falls, they would see that it’s Veteran’s Parkway, and that would demonstrate the high regard we have for veterans here in Sioux Falls,” Councilman Kermit Staggers said. (the Mitchell Republic, Jul 15th, 2015) I understand that image has become an essential factor in promoting a community, but I wonder how veterans of the Sioux Falls area feel about this? When they drive down this road, do they think that our community is supporting them?
So how can we truly support our veterans? The simplest way is to get to know veterans in your inner circle: your neighborhood, church, or employment. Then ask them how you can show your appreciation. Tell them why you want to show your appreciation. I’ve found that there is one thing that most veterans have all sacrificed – their time. During their service, they needed to put their life plans on hold. Ask them what they would have been doing if they had not served. Get to know the person within the uniform.
The following websites may give you some ideas as well.
https://www.military.com/veterans-day/8-ways-to-express-appreciation-on-veterans-day.html
https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org
The veteran is not the only member of a family to sacrifice their time to serve. Parents, spouses, and children also made sacrifices, while their loved one was serving the country. They are the primary caregiver when the veteran returns home. If you know of a veteran family in need, the following website has resources for housing, dental, child care, etc.
VeteransFamiliesUnited.org
https://www.military.com/memorial-day/support-troops-and-families.html
I’ll end this post by asking readers to do something. When you thank a veteran for their service tomorrow, think of them as a person; a person who chose to make sacrifices so that you can live your life uninterrupted in the United States. Thank you.
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