One More Time, With Spirit! For the Veterans...

I've said before: the thing conservatives challenge me on most has nothing to do with politics.  They challenge me on my military service.  I was in the US Army from 1988 to 1992...

That is indeed a young pre-bridge troll version of me, your front line of defense!  I'm very proud of my military service, and the lessons I learned during my four year tour have helped make me a better father, husband and radio broadcaster.

But the idea of me, a Democrat, being a proud veteran triggers a lot of conservatives.  I've been challenged numerous times in the last ten years; some snarky jackass thinks he'll score alt-right points by exposing me as a fraud.  The Republican challenges always have the same feel, their counterpoint hung loosely on some very fragile argument like 'that wasn't the BDU's soldiers wore at that time in my buddies unit,' or 'I never heard of that training and I've read EVERY manual ever released by the military.' Nothing I can do or say will change their mind.

The challenger (almost always) didn't serve in the US Armed Forces themselves.

I usually end up bringing in my friends I served with, veterans who are scattered across the country who'll always come to my defense if some jerk decides to question my military service, just as I would defend them.  The Righto will then start stumbling, insisting they never said I wasn't in the military, just pointing out an inconsistency they assure me NOW has been settled.  They then run away like cowards.

At no point do these 'patriotic Americans' apologize for smearing my military service.  NOT ONCE has a Righto admitted they were wrong and said "I'm sorry.'

It's Veterans Day again, and it's time for me to reset the four things I feel the US Government should do for Veterans and their families.  But before I get there, let me make a comment about what it means to support the troops.

Throughout the weekend, when I watched TV or went out shopping, I was inundated with military salutes, directed at the current military, those who had served, those who we've lost, and the families of these brave men and women.  That's great!  Thanks, but there's a problem with these displays.  It makes people feel like they've done something to help the soldiers when they really haven't done that much.

There's a difference between acknowledging the troops and supporting the troops.

Don't get me wrong, it's always nice to have people say thanks.  Some places have specialized parking spots reserved for Veterans and some stores offer military discounts for those who've served.  Many businesses have a special fund where they offer a certain military family plane tickets and a nice vacation.  That's also great, and appreciated, but let me try to explain a few points.

It's nice to save 3 cents on a pack of light bulbs, but for many veterans, active duty and military families, it's doesn't really fill the voids which every veteran, soldier and military family member deal with every day.  But because it's a benefit some people can't get, it's perceived by many as doing far more than it actually does.  It's like the parking spot.  Sure its great to be able to park five spots closer to the door, but the next Veteran in after me doesn't get that benefit.  And did my day really became better for the 20 feet I didn't have to walk?  Meanwhile the store feels like they've covered a major failure in the gaps of military care today by allowing a veteran to park a few spots closer.

Let's not disguise a primary benefactor for these token gestures, the people/businesses who promote them.  This weekend, those organizations would be the NFL and major sports leagues, the sports broadcast networks who use the military as props in their broadcasts, the beer and alcohol companies who drape their cans/labels with the American flag, and many retailers with their Veteran's Day ads, especially the major home repairs and appliance box stores who gets to paint themselves as super patriotic because they give that 3 cent discount on light bulbs.  Don't ignore the self-serving benefits for the businesses who use Veterans to promote themselves.

Even the special funds/groups who give you those tear-jerker moments (the young kids are surprised by mom or dad returning from a deployment overseas, with TV cameras to capture the raw emotion of the reunion) are getting an unspoken benefit.  It's nice they reunite these families, but they also get the benefits of the ratings/social media gold a made for TV event like that generates, pulling at the heart strings for an emotional moment, a reunion which could've just as easily taken place in private, followed by an introduction of the family afterward.  The reunification is a prop used by TV shows, sports teams and businesses to pat themselves on the back.  It's a very nice gesture, but it's still a prop, captured on video and broadcast on every platform possible, a prop which makes people feel like they have actually done something to 'support the troops' by 'liking' a video clip on Instagram.

And even when those military first groups do send a military family on a nice vacation, or get a soldier plane tickets home, that's only a small portion of military families who could use a vacation, and a small portion of the soldiers who can't afford the flight home.

This isn't saying there isn't a nice element to this.  Of course there is, but it's a very limited benefit, mostly for a handful of soldiers/veterans.  And it hides the true needs of soldiers and veterans in this day and age.  There is A LOT more we can actually do!

If you REALLY want to make a difference, then call your political representation and ask for them to sponsor ALL 4 of the following pro-veteran initiatives:

1. Any soldier/veteran/military family member can get 'US Government paid for' medical treatment at ANY medical facility in the country.  Make it part of the medical licensing process.  That way soldiers and veterans are not forced to have to travel 9 hours for medical care they could EASILY receive a mile from their home.  Make sure full psychological and dental coverage are included.  It it the LEAST we can do!
2. Any soldier/veteran can go to a pubic university in the United States and get a college degree for free.  I'm not saying this would cover room and board, but the GI Bill would allow them to pay for those expenses.  The soldier would still have to qualify for college, but this would be a free college education for soldiers and veterans who served in combat or pulled a four year tour.  It is the LEAST we can do!
3. Free job placement for any soldier/veteran when they return from active duty.  And (with no disrespect to certain jobs) I'm not talking flipping burgers, working delivery, or sweeping floors.  I'm talking job placement into good jobs which have a minimum 40K starting salary.  It is the Least we can do!
4. If a soldier comes back from their service time wounded, or if a combat veteran is aging, or if the family of a soldier who died in combat needs the Government benefits THEY HAVE EARNED WITH THEIR OWN BLOOD, they by God make that happen!  Do not make them jump through hoops, or make them have to deal with copious red tape.  They've earned those benefits, so let's make sure they get them.  IT IS THE LEAST WE CAN DO!!!

To those who immediately scream 'that will cost a lot of money,' yes it will, but this is what we should do.  We had enough money to give millionaires and billionaires a MASSIVE tax cut two years ago.  Either spend more money on the Veterans, or cancel the wealthy's tax breaks.  Whatever is easiest.

And to all those people who say 'thank you Veteran's,' thanks.  It is appreciated, but if you really want to show how much you support the troops, call every political representative you've got and ask for the above policy changes.  Trust me, if you did that for the returning soldiers, veterans, and military family members, you wouldn't need to give a veteran a 3 cent discount on light bulbs ever again.  They'd appreciate the discount, but their outlook would be a lot brighter without them.