President Obama traveled to Camp Lejeune today to announce the eventual drawdown of combat troops in Iraq. There's sure to be a lot of discussion about the details of the timeline, and a lot of politics getting in the way of any coherent military analysis.
But whether it is 16 months or 19 months or 23 months, whether the residual force is 10,000 or 50,000 troops, the president's new plan will create a surge of new veterans coming home in 2009 and 2010. We need to be ready.
Our duty to these brave men and women doesn't end when they leave the battlefield. Military families have borne a tremendous strain through more than eight years of conflict, and our troops are returning to the worst economy we've seen in decades. No veteran's 'welcome home' should come in the form of an unemployment check.
There are some concrete steps that must be taken. The new GI Bill must be properly implemented, so veterans can go back to school and train for civilian careers. Mental health resources must be expanded, so veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can get the care they need. And we must ensure that the network of veterans' hospitals and clinics nationwide have all the funding they need to cope with the influx of wounded troops.
This week, the president released his budget for veterans, which represents a strong step towards supporting our returning troops. The budget increases spending on health care and other vital veterans' programs by about 11%, and an increase in VA funding of $25 billion over five years.
These numbers are profoundly encouraging, but the devil is in the details. When the complete plan comes out in April, we'll be going over it with a fine-tooth comb to ensure that these budget numbers aren't reliant on increasing veterans' health care fees and copays. And I'm disappointed to see that the president has not included one of his campaign promises to veterans - advance funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Advance funding wouldn't cost any money, but it would help veterans' hospitals plan their budgets earlier, and bring an end to the care-rationing that hospitals are forced into when the budget is passed late. Every veterans' organization in the country was hoping to see this common sense solution in the budget this year.
Still, it's good to see the government beginning to do its part. But it will take more than just the politicians to support our veterans; every American has a responsibility to support those who've served. IAVA has done its part by launching a historic outreach campaign anchored by the groundbreaking website CommunityofVeterans.org. At this site, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans can connect with one another and find critical mental health, education and employment resources to help with the transition home. No matter how you feel about the war, you can help support our veterans. If you want to help your community welcome home our troops, join us at www.iava.org.
Crossposted on IAVA.org.
hopefully, with your continuing vigilance, this war's returning veterans will look more like after WWII and not vietnam. in these difficult economic times, and with our country's need for an educated workforce particularly in areas such as engineering and science; hopefully, many of our returning veterans will go to college. this was the beginning of the robust middle class we enjoyed following WWII.
I think that we should start to push for President Obama to hold one of his traveling town hall meetings at one of the VA hospitals which is treating the severly wounded. Sound like a good idea?
Considering how some employers and other have treated troops while away, I have little faith in the civilian population treating vets as they sd./deserve.
Time will tell but will wager they will likely get the short end of the stick again even though without them there would be no stick at all.
I have much hope but little faith that those returning will get the care, respect, and services they need. Remember Walter Reed? Remember that pay hike Congress approved for "stop-loss" soldiers? (Supposed to go into effect October 1st, still hasn't happened.)
Time to put our money where our mouth is.
http://TheSnarkingLot.blogspot.com
Why is it that we, as a country, have no problem lavishly funding war, but treat the veterans of those wars like second class citizens? I get better health care and I am on Medicaid.
Veterans deserve better.
My dad deserved better.
' When the war comes Home ' by a journalist who was in Iraq 3 years. What a wake up call that was. Another book- " The last one standing or last survivor ' or a similar name.
Bush Admin.was trying to keep the Veterans Admin costs low - to hide what the war REALLY COST..
. This can not be allowed to happen again. Why didn't the 24 hour media cover this more ?
Under Obama, there is absolutely no way of knowing when our troops will be back home.
He is changing his "timetable" weekly.
And strangely, no one seems to care.
I don't understand.
' if we go in to Iraq- We OWN IT' That is the problem-we need to disengage carefully, so as not to make things even worse. Cause we all know the GOP will crucify OBama- even though the GOP
put us here. FACT- OBAMA VOTED AGAINST THE WAR- NOW HE'S STUCK WITH IT.
I couldn't agree with you article more, but what concerns me is America's history of neglecting its veterans. I hope that this time might be different but I am not optimistic. Thanks for all your hard work.
---From a former Lord Jeff teammate and Amherst '01
Every returning Veteran should be entitled to Free Green Job training and placement. Do it. Give Van Jones a call and work together to get a bill through Congress. He recently had success.