I would like to take this opportunity to wish all veterans a happy veterans day!!! This is a particularly special Veterans Day for me as my son leaves for Air Force basic training in just a couple of months. This time next year, this day will be special to him as well. Without the dedication of the people that have served our great country, going all the way back to the Revolutionary War, we would be living in a much different country. Most of us cannot not imagine not having the right to speak our mind, vote, speak out against the government, or something so simple as to choose a religion. These are just a few examples of what our vets have fought and died for in the past, present, and unfortunately will almost certainly need to fight for in the future. Whether you agree with the current state of affairs in our country or not, you can thank a veterans for the right to disagree and advocate change, in many countries you would be jailed, or worse, at the first sign of dissent. Veterans, like myself (10 years US Army), that served for long periods of time sometimes find it difficult to transition back to the civilian world. Whether it is from the stress of combat, or adjustment to the civilian culture, vets often find they need help adjusting and living outside of the military environment, I have been out for over ten years now, and I still find myself missing it at times. I know that sometimes veterans fresh, and sometimes not so fresh, from the military are often looked at as harsh, mean, blunt, and sometimes combative. Please try to understand that in the military, we were trained to take the initiative and to be aggressive in situations that were sometimes out of our control. When you exit the military, these traits remain ingrained into you and become part of your personality. If you find yourself faced with a vet having these sorts of problems, please remember that you do not know, especially of you have never served, what they may have seen or done in the service of their country. There are many organizations that can help veterans adjust, many of them charge nothing or very little to help our warriors, and yes that is exactly what they are, and always will be, WARRIORS. If you are a veteran, I encourage you to seek out the benefits you have earned, very rarely will the government or any company advertise their veterans benefits. If you are a veteran, and have your veterans ID, and shop at Lowes or Home Depot, you get a 10% discount on all purchases, so always ask at the places you shop if they have a veterans discount. In the state of Oklahoma, if you are a disabled vet, you can get a lifetime combination hunting and fishing license for between $25 and $200 (depending on the rating of you disability). There is a new website through DOD and the VA that allows you to check the status of your claim and see what benefits to which you are entitled (ebenefits.va.gov), I encourage every vet to visit this sight. In closing, I would also like to thank the families of our vets and the sacrifices you made and continue to make. I remember how hard it was being away from home for extended periods of time and how important letters and call from home were for me (I served before the internet was so readily available, I know I’m old). From one vet to all other vets, and their families, HAVE A GREAT DAY, YOU EARNED IT!!!!
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 18:49:43 +0000
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