Being a veteran of the Vietnam War era, I feel a deep sense of commitment to continue to help the soldiers whom I served alongside of, and a duty to not let America’s lost and missingin action be forgotten.
As soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coastguardsmen who served during wartime, we fought for one another. We fought for the man on our right and the man on our left. We believed we were fighting for and defending America and the principles of freedom. I believe now that we fight wars not to solve geo-political issues and principles, but to preserve the hopes and dreams of America’s children and their future, just as our troops are doing today fighting in the global war on terrorism.
Our children know that the world today is a scary place with some bad people out there who want to hurt us. For these children, the Sept. 11, 2001, attack onAmerica was probably like the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor was to our parents when they were kids.
Many of the children who were in school on Sept. 11, 2001, have since returned to visit. They come back in uniform as soldiers, sailors, airmen or marines. They’re our neighbors’ kids coming home. Many of us won’t even be aware they’d ever left. We can be very proud of the latest generation of young men and women who’ve volunteered to serve in the military. As in all wars, the families wait for loved ones to come home. The mothers, dads, wives and husbands sacrifice as much, if not more, for our country as do the soldiers serving overseas. These are tough economic times. Despite a preference in the hiring of veterans (which occurs mainly in the civil service sector) returning troops have a 5 percent higher jobless rate than the national average since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Where many men and women military veterans had a job before volunteering for military service, there’s no job waiting for them when they come home.
New Jersey’s Adjutant Gen. Glenn K. Rieth’s wife, Linda Rieth, co-founded the New Jersey Family Readiness Council — a nonprofit group that raises money through private and corporate donations and helps the families of New Jersey soldiers serving overseas when emergencies happen and the families just don’t have the resources to pay bills or buy diapers or food.
Gov. Chris Christie has maintained funding levels for New Jersey’s Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. New Jersey is one of the original states to adopt a Yellow Ribbon initiative to follow up on the well being of guard and reserve troops after they return home. I can tell you that America’s military veterans’ organizations are holding our elected federal government representatives feet to the fire. The challenge that lies ahead of us is great. To quote President Abraham Lincoln from his second inaugural address, “… care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.”
Only 1 percent of Americans serve in the U.S. military today. That compares with 15 percent during World War II. UnlikeAmerica’s “Greatest Generation,” Americans today are, for the most part, unaffected personally and have not had to sacrifice a great deal personally in the Global War on Terror. Despite this fact, just as in past generations, Americans still have an obligation to care for the thousands of troops who come home with severe injuries and unseen mental scars. The level of care for our veterans should be nothing less than the best that America has to offer.
On Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. sharp, the exact day and time in 1918 the armistice went into effect ending World War I, we veterans will honor our fallen brothers and sisters at town, state and national veterans memorials all across the U.S. We’ll honor them by playing taps. This coming Veteran’s Day and every day, if you should see a uniformed soldier, sailor, airmen, marine or military veteran, please go up to them and say thank you. May God bless America.
Richard D. Brody
Chairman
Millstone Veterans Memorial