Veterans Day 2016 obtained from http://www.veteransday2016.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Veterans-Day.jpg on 11/11/16
Every year on November 11, we honor the end of World War 1 which ended on November 11, 1918. It was not until 1954 that America started celebrating Veterans Day. With the approval of the legislation on June 1, 1954, it became a day to honor American Veterans of all wars. Take the time to thank those that served, or is currently in the armed forces protecting your country.
As a veteran, many individuals struggle to get the basic needs they have taken care of including both physical and psychological help. They see things over where they’re fighting that can’t be unseen. With the struggles that they have, many veterans feel under-appreciated for what they’ve done for their country. They are proud to have served in the armed forces to protect their country.
According to RAND Center for Military Health Policy Research, Invisible Wounds of War, 2008, out of the 1.7 million veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, 300,000 (20 percent) suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression.
Veteran Mental Health by NVF reports that the The National Institute of Drug Abuse reports that substance abuse among veterans is strongly related to their exposure to combat. One study by the organization showed that 25% of returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans showed signs of substance abuse disorder.
Some of the problems that veterans face when coming back include chronic Musculoskeletal injuries and pain, mental health issues (PTSD, Depression, etc), infectious diseases, chemical exposure, noise and vibration exposure, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and urologic injuries. Some of these issues are unique to individuals that have been in combat so it is difficult to obtain treatment especially when the wait list is so long. Next time you see a veteran, be sure to thank them for the risks they’ve taken to protect our country.
Happy Veterans Day.
