Ghosts of Our Past
Last week, The Kansas City Star reported that a study by the Government Accountability office says only 22 percent of veterans who fought in Iraq have been referred for counseling for Post Traumatic Stress. This has veterans groups worried. “Untreated PTSD and bad follow-up by DOD can have this country repeating many of the same mistakes the government made during the Vietnam War. PTSD can lead to homelessness, suicide and crime,” said Paul Rieckhoff executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America in the May 11 edition of The Kansas City Star.
While this may be news to many Americans, it’s not news to my family or that of Jeff Lucey or any one of the other millions of soldiers who have come home from war traumatized at what they saw or were suppose to do.
When I wrote No Immediate Threat, I was hoping that our government would not repeat the mistakes of the past. But it was too much to hope for; the brevity of our government’s collective memory is matched only by that of the American people.
I ask once again, where are all of these people who slapped yellow magnetic ribbons on their vehicles that read: “Support our Troops?” Do our soldiers only deserve support when they are away in a foreign land in the direct line of fire? Only the people can stand up to our government and demand treatment for our soldiers and our veterans.
The fact is, that the majority of Americans have not been asked to sacrifice anything for the current war, headlines of which are a postscript to their daily lives or relegated to the back of the newspaper section entitled “War on Terror.” And “Support our Troops” is just a fad; a catchy piece of pop culture people pick up as an impulse purchase when waiting in the checkout line to buy gas for their SUV’s.
As long as “American Idol” overshadows news of greater importance to the future of our country and the veterans who were once the troops we were suppose to support, I’m afraid America will continue to repeat the mistakes of the past – all at the expense of the people who are making the sacrifice –the soldier/veterans and their families.
While this may be news to many Americans, it’s not news to my family or that of Jeff Lucey or any one of the other millions of soldiers who have come home from war traumatized at what they saw or were suppose to do.
When I wrote No Immediate Threat, I was hoping that our government would not repeat the mistakes of the past. But it was too much to hope for; the brevity of our government’s collective memory is matched only by that of the American people.
I ask once again, where are all of these people who slapped yellow magnetic ribbons on their vehicles that read: “Support our Troops?” Do our soldiers only deserve support when they are away in a foreign land in the direct line of fire? Only the people can stand up to our government and demand treatment for our soldiers and our veterans.
The fact is, that the majority of Americans have not been asked to sacrifice anything for the current war, headlines of which are a postscript to their daily lives or relegated to the back of the newspaper section entitled “War on Terror.” And “Support our Troops” is just a fad; a catchy piece of pop culture people pick up as an impulse purchase when waiting in the checkout line to buy gas for their SUV’s.
As long as “American Idol” overshadows news of greater importance to the future of our country and the veterans who were once the troops we were suppose to support, I’m afraid America will continue to repeat the mistakes of the past – all at the expense of the people who are making the sacrifice –the soldier/veterans and their families.
posted by Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell at 9:04 AM
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