Saluting in Solidarity with the Troops and Their Families – July 20th, 2018
As we move towards the end of 2017, I’ll be reflecting on some important events of the year and reflecting on some important steps that have taken place during the final months of 2017. This post is for veterans, current/upcoming soldiers and their families from around the country, but may contain a few more words for those that are not veterans, or even those that may only be able to hear the word “soldier” to describe them.
So, without further ado, let me start my musings with the men and women that have served with and for us.
The US President spoke with the American veterans at their annual banquet earlier this month (at a fundraiser, of course) and I’d like to share the following video with you and reflect on what he said, by veterans from all branches of service (except the Navy).
The President praised the service to our country and the sacrifices our brave men and women have made, and it reminded us all that we need to give thanks to the men and women that serve with us.
While the speech was about giving thanks, he also made three important points:
He acknowledged that we in the United States have lost so many young men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan, and said, “We can’t continue to send more young men and women for longer and longer periods with the expectation of success.” He mentioned that we have to do more to prepare our veterans for being combat troops, and said, “We’re facing some really difficult choices as a country in the very near future, and the decisions we’re going to be facing will be based on the kind of military training you receive and the military experience you have and the kind of life you lead when you join the military.”
He talked about how we need to be better prepared to deal with mental health challenges our military members may have (like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), and mentioned mental health needs may not have been identified as a medical or psychological issue in some cases, and need to be addressed sooner or later.