Often the most discussed citizens by US politicians are our war veterans. This is because of the invaluable role they play in the safety of our country. They go to foreign places and fight wars often against enemies they cannot see and who have a desire to kill and maim them. They do this in poor conditions and for lousy pay. Too often they then come back and receive less than fair treatment and in some cases do not even have homes built to accommodate the types of injuries that have sustained during the war. We need to have a support system for them that works in addition to the government to make sure that our veterans are well taken care of. Non-profits like Helping a Hero that builds homes adapted for disabled vets demonstrate the type of giving needed to make sure that vets do not have to fight a second war when they come back home. There are other things we can do as well. Here is a small portion of the list.

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Make sure veterans can get to their medical appointments 

The importance of veterans being able to get to their medical importance cannot be overstated. They often have debilitating illnesses or injuries that require constant and prompt medical care. So their being able to get to their doctor’s appointments can often mean the difference between them being okay and them having a crisis. The government recognizes this and has created several programs to shuttle veterans to their doctor’s offices but as often is the case with government funded programs, some still fall through the cracks. So there are non-profits that have been set up to assist veterans in this area. As good citizens we need to insure that they do not miss anyone so please check on a veteran you know and make sure he or she has access to transportation to their doctor when needed. Also offer to give a ride if the person does not have transportation.

Veterans Need Jobs

Veterans are one of the highest unemployed groups in the US. More than 250,000 are currently unemployed and the number is rising even as the employment rate drops. Things that contribute to veterans finding it so hard to find jobs are things like disabilities, and never having a normal civilian job before, so companies don’t want to hire them because they don’t have the required experience. The US Department of Veterans Affairs has a great program called Veterans Retraining Assistance Program that teaches veterans how to look for jobs and how to maintain them. There is also a non-profit called Hire Heroes USA that helps veterans put together resumes that focus on their skills and achievements and shows them how to translate their military achievements to what would be required in the workplace. They also teach how them how to interview successfully. If you know a veteran who is struggling with finding employment, see what you can do. Help him or her to find one of the local or online programs that assist them in finding employment. And offer to help with a resume or even going through mock interviews with them. Any small amount helps and shows them you care.

We owe them so much and any small amount of assistance goes a long way, so look for opportunities to assist a veteran and let them know the war is over and now they are home.