Veterans Day provides us with the opportunity to remember and reflect upon what our fellow citizens who have proudly served in the armed services mean to us. For some, it means remembering those who have perished on the battlefield in far away lands. For others, it is a day to be thankful that their friend or loved one made it home from their tour of duty.
But today, there are other important issues for us to consider as we think about how we care for our veterans. First, we must remember that we, as a nation, have committed ourselves to providing care to our veterans through their own healthcare system. It is the only universal healthcare system in the nation providing coverage for all regardless of employment status or other privileges. The system is not perfect, but it is one committed to serving all. That is an American value worth preserving, as our President-Elect has pledged to do by expanding VA health care benefits and increasing the Veterans Affairs budget significantly to support the soldiers coming home from war in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In particular, we must remember that there are areas universally acknowledged to be weak within the Veterans Affairs health care system and that it is our duty to remedy them–first through awareness and then through advocacy. The APA has reminded us this Veterans Day that “not all wounds are physical” and has called for greater funding and prioritization of mental health care within the VA system. Indeed, no one can ignore the great number of men and women who have or will soon come home from places of conflict abroad and will need the resources to help them stay mentally, as well as physically, strong.
As US. Representative John Murtha has said this Veterans Day, “honoring our veterans takes more than words.” We owe it to all of our living veterans to commit even more to their health and well-being. After the sacrifices these brave men and women have made for our country, it is the least that their country can do for them.
Summer Johnson, PhD