Life after service displays large shifts for men and women who were in the armed services. Thankfully, there are sundry charities and civic groups that seek to help veterans readjust to civilian life. Recently, first lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden announced that they are seeking to help veterans across the country – principally by promoting foundations and organizations in the U.S. whose stated goals are to give assistance to veterans. This charitable work can be a great complement to the work the Veteran's Administration does in helping returning soldiers track down army life insurance. Hopefully the first lady's passionate entreaty to provide more resources for veterans is both genuine and successful.
Obama calls for more resources for veterans in passionate opinion piece
In an opinion piece jointly written by the first lady and Dr. Biden in the Military Times, the two women called forcefully for more services to be available for veterans. The piece discussed the joyful occasion that a returning solider brings to many families – as veterans have been away from their families for extended periods of time, in overseas locations. The piece suggests that this is often seen as the terminus of a veteran's journey, while, according to the source, it is actually just the beginning.
Still work to be done after veterans return home
The two women noted the various difficult tasks inherent in civilian life, such as finding a well-paying job to provide for a family. Military benefits help with some of this, but, the source suggests that the onus of war mandates an intense response among civil society to bring veterans into a warm community.
"We cannot allow ourselves to forget their service to our country," said first lady Michelle Obama, as quoted by The Huffington Post, "We've got to show our military families that our country is there for them not just while they're in uniform but for the long haul."
Opinion piece emblematic of commitment to veterans
In line with Obama's rousing rhetoric, the opinion piece clearly shows that this will be backed up by a significant amount of capital. According to the piece, the Veterans Philanthropy exchange, a collection of charity organizations dedicated to helping veterans in life after military, have pledged 102 million dollars in just the next five years. This comes on top of previous multi-million dollar donations, accruing a viable charitable avenue for veterans to pursue.
"The Phoenix tragedy, Fort Hood shooting and the latest Pentagon suicide numbers all sadly underscore the urgent need for a sustained, national effort to ensure all our vets get the care and support they deserve," said Paul Rieckhoff, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, according to The Huffington Post, "This challenge is much more than the government can handle alone. These leading foundations have made a bold, visionary commitment."
Returning soldiers who may have heard about the first lady's initiative, but are unsure of how to track down military benefits, should peruse Military Times, and visit the websites of organizations like Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America to elicit further information on the many benefits available to veterans of the recent conflicts that the U.S. has been involved in.
The opinion piece concludes with a call to action, suggesting that complacency and apathy will be inimical to a process that requires the commitment and participation of citizens and philanthropists alike. The writers equate this commitment to helping show returning veterans the love that will help build dignity, an indispensable virtue to have when navigating the new environment of civilian life. Veterans should check out the information pertaining to this philanthropic initiative, as they will gain handy resources they may have been previously unapprised of.