From when the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army were established in the United States in 1775 to the Gulf War Era (1991) there have been 41,892,128 men and women who served this nation "(General Statistics on Veterans)." United States Census Bureau. United States Department of Commerce. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. As of 2013, 22,299,350 veterans are alive, and of those 721,575 live in the state of Illinois "Veteran Population 2014." United States Department of Veterans Affairs. United States Department of Veterans Affairs, 30 Sept. 2014. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. The question that came to my mind was: “What are the general hardships that veterans are facing, and how has our country dealt with these problems?” There are many aspects to consider when asking a question of this magnitude, and throughout this paper, we will see details that paint a bigger picture of not only veterans, but of the people that they come home to. So, let’s get started. The origins of our recognition of U.S. veterans. We can trace back the long line of our organized military force back to the original colonies. In 1636, the Pilgrims of the Plymouth Colony passed a law that provided support for disabled veterans "History - Department of Veteran Affairs (VA)." Veterans Association. United States Department of Commerce. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. Fast forwarding to the heavy military involvements of the 20th century, we see the establishment of the Veterans Association on July 21, 1930 as an attempt to bring a more organized way to treat veterans affairs with the involvement of the federal government. Yet it was not until June 22, 1944 that President Franklin D. Roosevelt passed the G.I. Bill, which was a major step in making sure that our veterans had the support they needed in order to live a successful life after their service "History - Department of Veteran Affairs (VA)." Veterans Association. United States Department of Commerce. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. The G.I. Bill’s and even it’s most long lasting program (financing for veterans to buy a house) stemmed from WWII. This is all to essentially say that the large scale federal and economic involvement with veterans that we see today is highly involved with the World Wars. From the Legion and VFW buildings that many Americans see in their home towns/cities, to the stories of frustrated veterans on the news, and to the horrors of war we can see on our computer, there is no doubt that veterans are a deep part of our society, and also that the war fields have changed significantly. The dark side… is it rising, or did we just not see it before? PTSD No doubt you have probably heard about the infamous Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and how many of our veterans have it, but how true is this in our modern day veterans? Well, PTSD was not formally recognized until the year 1980. That was the year that the American Psychiatric Association added the PTSD to
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The Department of Veterans Affairs, and The National Suicide Prevention Hotline back a program which is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Services, called the Veterans Crisis Line. This program makes it, so that by calling or texting a number, a veteran in need can have instant professional help, in their time of need.
How has the government helped veterans finance homes? Well, in recent times after the the Post-911 GI Bill was signed into law in 2009, 1.4 million veterans and their dependants have received $50 billion of assistance courtesy of Uncle Sam Veterans Matter. Veterans Matter. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. In the past times to present with the provisions provided by the original G.I. Bill signed into law in 1944, home loans have been granted to 21 million veterans Veterans Matter. Veterans Matter. Web. 29 Sept. 2015.
Who’s there when they have injuries? The Veterans Association offers the SGLI Traumatic Injury Protection Program (TSGLI) to those who have been severely injured in and off the line of duty, short term, but very helpfull financial assistance, almost regardless of the circumstances that lead to that injury "Inquiry Routing and Information System." U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Web. 29 Sept.
The Department of Veterans Affairs, and The National Suicide Prevention Hotline back a program which is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Services, called the Veterans Crisis Line. This program makes it, so that by calling or texting a number, a veteran in need can have instant professional help, in their time of need.
How has the government helped veterans finance homes? Well, in recent times after the the Post-911 GI Bill was signed into law in 2009, 1.4 million veterans and their dependants have received $50 billion of assistance courtesy of Uncle Sam Veterans Matter. Veterans Matter. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. In the past times to present with the provisions provided by the original G.I. Bill signed into law in 1944, home loans have been granted to 21 million veterans Veterans Matter. Veterans Matter. Web. 29 Sept. 2015.
Who’s there when they have injuries? The Veterans Association offers the SGLI Traumatic Injury Protection Program (TSGLI) to those who have been severely injured in and off the line of duty, short term, but very helpfull financial assistance, almost regardless of the circumstances that lead to that injury "Inquiry Routing and Information System." U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Web. 29 Sept.