We read an article at the CAF yesterday that argued Why Progressives Should Celebrate Veterans' Day; some of what she said puzzled us, but then, we don't hang with progressives (or conservatives, for that matter) who don't push for respecting vets--and for honoring this nation's promises to them with solid policy.
In the column, Robinson contrasts Canada's observance of Remembrance Day with the tendency of too many Americans to celebrate Mall Day on November 11. She concludes that Americans need to adopt similar attitudes and observances:
. . . it's a lot harder to ignore the needs of our veterans when you see their proud faces out there, every November 11, accepting the nation's thanks. You're forced to realize that once a year isn't enough; that they are part of your community, and their day-to-day care is a community responsibility. The "thanks" rings hollow if you're not backing up the words with real and constant support.
Fortunately, much of Southern Minnesota either never quit honoring Veterans Day or has come back to understanding why the day is important. It's not surprising that First District newspapers list quite a few Veterans Day events, given the tradition of service in the area and the respect most residents accord those who serve the nation. We find the understanding of "backing up the words with real and constant support" to underscore the First's events. From Congressmen Walz and Penny to Chaplain Morris, the message is that vets--and their issues--are woven into the backbone of Southern Minnesota. The story of the Silver Star earned by an active Marine from Mankato shows both heart and spine.
KEYC-TV reported on one events yesterday:
Vine Faith in Action and the Summit Center hosted a free luncheon to honor the military service of local veterans today. Around ninety people attended the event where Congressman Tim Walz and Senator Kathy Sheran addressed the group and thanked them for their service to our country.Senator Kathy Sheran says, "This is important for us to do because these are the people who go and actually carry out a defensive action to protect the rest of us."Sergeant Lyle Lafavor, a Pearl Harbor survivor attended the luncheon as a chance to meet up with old friends.Lyle Lafavor says, "Every so often people come up and thank us for what we did and I guess it shows that they appreciate what we did.I consider it, service in the military, something I owe my country.I was proud to have served."There will be many activities across Mankato tomorrow including free breakfast for Veterans at both Mankato Hy Vee stores.
The Mankato Free Press notes that Veterans Day offers many ways to remember, honor. A highlight:
Vietnam Veterans of Southern Minnesota is celebrating its 25th year as a charter nonprofit group and the 20th anniversary of the Blue Earth Nicollet County Memorial.
Former Congressman Tim Penny is the guest speaker for the group’s program at 12:10 p.m. Tuesday at the memorial near Stoltzman Road. Penny, who was the speaker at the memorial’s dedication, is a former U.S. Naval Reserve lieutenant commander.
The Waseca County News reports Waseca schools to host Veterans Day ceremonies. The first ceremonies began just a few minutes ago at the high school and an elementary school. There'll be an event for the general public at the county courthouse at 11 a.m., followed by:
Lunch will be served at the American Legion following the Courthouse ceremony.
However, everyone is encouraged to attend the school events:
Veterans and community members are encouraged to attend the programs, which feature a video, choir and band performances, and speeches by students.
Many schools have closed in Southwestern Minnesota, so those considering going to ceremonies in that part of the state should use their judgment and their best winter driving skills. The Worthington Globe reported in Chaplain to keynote Veterans Day address:
John Morris, chaplain for the Minnesota National Guard, knows first hand what veterans have done for this country.
Morris, who has served in Iraq, is the featured speaker for the Minnesota West Community and Technical College Veterans Day celebration. The program is 10 a.m. Tuesday in the Fine Arts Theater.
“The first thing I will focus on is the significant contribution southwest Minnesota soldiers have made to the nation,” said Morris. “All of the armories in southwest Minnesota have deployed units. Southwest Minnesota has made a big, big contribution.”
As the chaplain for the state’s National Guard, Morris helped develop a program called Beyond the Yellow Ribbon. The program helps veterans reintegrate into their communities after returning from active duty. The name is a reminder that support for soldiers cannot end when they return from deployment.
“I also will talk about how we can honor and support veterans once they come home from war,” he said. “Because I’m speaking at Minnesota West I will talk about the vital role that higher education plays in the life of returning combat veterans.”
The public is invited to attend the annual Veterans’ Day event at Minnesota West.
Iraq War vets we know who served in the Guard are universal in their praise of Morris. It should be a good program. The articles also lists programs in smaller towns in the area, from Adrian to Windom.
In Rochester, the PB reports in Veterans Day program features brigadier general:
The eighth annual Veterans Day Program will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at the New Life Worship Center, 6301 34th Ave. N.W. in Rochester.
Breakfast, catered by the Canadian Honker, will be served from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
The program will begin at 10:30 a.m., and the featured speaker will be Brigadier General Gerald Lang, deputy commander of the 34th infantry. There will also be area color and honor guards, entertainment and musical videos, all emceed by Tom Overlie of KTTC-TV.
In addition there will be an eagle from the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, along with the debut of the new CD "Tribute to Veterans." The CD will be distributed free to all veterans in attendance, and will be available to others for purchase.
BTW, Minnesota representative Randy Demmer is one of the area musical artists who contributed to the CD. The PB also reports Vets to be honored at school breakfast in Austin and there will be a flag-disposal ceremony at the Austin VFW this afternoon.
The Winona Daily News has been running stories about new sites honoring vets. Today, it reports about A bittersweet tribute: Park shelter to honor lives of couple’s children, vets. On Saturday, the new veterans center opened. The paper also published a heart-tugging AP story about a SE Minnesota soldier's experience.
The Albert Lea Tribune has published a thoughtful editorial, Thoughts of liberty on Vets Day:
People sometimes say we are losing our rights. They point to smoking bans as one example.
The fact is, we have more than ever. The election of an African-American as U.S. president serves as a prime example. More people today are guaranteed the promise of equality and liberty than at any time in American history.
That is wonderful. That is the America people love.
And if you know history, you know it started with President Andrew Jackson. Awful as some of his other deeds were, he nonetheless is the president who ensured this country wasn’t just going to belong to the land-owning gentry. His election opened the hopes of the common man, even if at the time it was the common white man.
That promise of equality was out of the bottle. Once begun, it continued to grow. It was an idea that could be slowed but could not be stopped. It expanded with abolishing of slavery, extending voting rights to blacks and women, making citizens of the Native Americans, changing society and laws during the civil rights movement, and passing several key amendments to the U.S. Constitution. It is a story that repeats itself over and over in American history and will continue.
This is all possible because of the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines.
Today, we thank our veterans for securing liberty. We thank them for fighting for defending this idea of equality.
And for the U.S. soldiers presently fighting wars, we pray for their safe return.
Have a solemn and thoughtful Veterans Day.
The Mankato Free Press reports that a Mankato Marine [is] to be honored with a Silver Star. Here's what he did to earn the medal:
On Nov. 16, 2005, 21 insurgents engaged Homer’s platoon with grenades and automatic fire from several well-fortified positions.
Homer repeatedly exposed himself to danger as he “saved three wounded Marines’ lives” by pulling them from the fight.
Then, “without regard for his own safety,” he rescued another Marine, fired his own weapon and directed the platoon’s weapons on their enemy.
Finally, Homer went back into the heart of the battle and provided first aid to a Marine who “lay severely wounded in the kill zone.”
After pulling that Marine back to safety, Homer refused medical treatment for his own wounds and continued evacuating others until he was himself ordered to board a plane collecting the wounded.
Photo: Congressman Walz brought Speaker Pelosi to the Minneapolis VA Medical Center on April 21 to listen to the needs and suggestions of First District veterans and veteran service officers.
On the 11th Day of the 11th month each year, Americans come together to honor those in uniform, the ones who sacrificed for our nation, on Veterans Day. As a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan, War on Terror, I urge everyone to take this day to not just thank a veteran, but to talk with veterans. Learn about how our experiences have shaped our lives and what issues we face as we make our transitions back to civilian life. I would like to explain my side of the story, my own experience.
When I joined the military I was a young, confused kid, who did not know much about life, due to being sheltered for most of my life by my over protective parents. I did not know much about the war, just that I was enraged at the hatred those terrorists had for all Americans and me. I wanted to help my country, to protect it at all cost, even giving up my life to do so. It may sound funny but when I initially tried to enlist in the military, I was to be a military post-man, but the job had already been taken. Since I am color-blind, I wasn’t able to have a range of opportunities in the military. My placement was therefore in Mortuary Affairs Specialist. I felt that I grew up quicker in my years in service than most people do in their whole lifetime.
I was nineteen years old on February 8th, 2002. It was kind of cold for Phoenix as I reached the Airport headed to Fort Jackson, in South Carolina for basic training. Upon reaching Fort Jackson, referred by some in the service as relaxant Jackson, I found that the life I had chosen would not be as easy as I thought. Those first couple of days I got a hair cut, issued uniforms, and learned the waiting line for training was long. During this time, since 9/11, there was a mass influx of new recruits; the Army had problems finding them units to train in. For me I was lucky kind of, since I had a school date that did not come around very often, they tried to offer me another job, but I turn them down, I was shipped from Fort Jackson, then to Fort Lenderwood Missionary. The Ozark Mountains are cold and during winter, it was unbearable. It was an extreme change for me because I was mostly familiar with the hot weather in Phoenix, AZ. Exercising and running in extreme weather with being out shape was horrible. There was no special treatment for anyone but the drill sergeants made me work twice as hard. The treatment I received was something similar to a movie, where the fat kid got picked on and abused, but it was some thing I needed in order to become who I need to be. Despite this, I worked hard, did everything I was ordered to do, and eventually I graduated from boot camp with a new physique. During graduation, my fellow recruits honored me with “The Most Changed Person” reward, the Order of the Dragoon.
I was off to my next challenge, training for my MOS. When I reached Fort Lee, Virginia, I missed my start date and had to wait for the next one. This meant that I couldn’t get a pass to go anywhere; I had to just sit at the barracks, clean the floors, and do KP duty. After awhile this routine got incommodious. I was so happy on Memorial Day 2002, because the next day I was scheduled to start school. Then all of a sudden, I had horrible stomach pains, and could not figure what it was. So I was sent me off to the ER, the doctors initially diagnosed appendix problems. The one-hour surgery was then scheduled immediately, however it took five hours to complete. Apparently, my appendix had been ruptured for over a month including basic training. The surgeons said I am so lucky to be alive. I got a month off to recover and relax. When I got back to Fort Lee, I had to wait another month for class, so eventually when I got to school; I did my best to learn about my job and almost graduated at the top of my class. The reason why I did not graduate at the top of my class was due to my stomach muscles not fully recovering, which made doing sit-ups very hard. I did it because I wanted to join my unit at Fort Lee.
My feelings of excitement and wanting to serve were still in tact even after months of prolong waiting and recovery. In order to be all that I could be, to be the best, I exceed my own abilities by 120%. The mindset I had, came a long way (physically from Phoenix and mentally from the first story I heard about the terrorist attacks), I had really changed for the better. In the first year, I received my first (minor) medal, the Army Achievement Medal. With this acknowledgement from the Army, I wanted to speed up my deployment overseas to Afghanistan, but that wasn’t going to happen until March 18th 2003. According to orders, my team that I was assigned to from my unit wasn’t schedule to arrive in Iraq first. Instead, I worked in the Theater Mortuary Affairs Evacuation Point, a place that went nonstop for the first three months.
Sleep was limited to when I did not hear a helicopter, and when body’s slowed down coming in. In the states I had worked at the Richmond Morgue, but war was different. Instead of just seeing some one you did not know in the states, in Kuwait you learn to know every one, due to them wearing the same uniform, and inventorying all their personal effects, you knew who they wear when they left. Not only was our job to process Americans, but we also helped process British, and any other Allies. During this time I saw the mistakes we made, such as shooting British helicopter down with Sam missiles, and killing Brazilin journalist when we hit the wrong building, during that time I saw the horrors that mankind was possible of. I start experiences, problems, and tried to seek medical help, but I was deferred and told I would be fine. My excitement had come to an end, and I start to get in trouble, pretty soon my 1st Sgt, thought that I was not experiencing enough of the war, so he sent me to the Iraq, Camp Alsad. In Camp Alsad, was slow, but became difficult. Some of the soldiers I ate with at the chow hall, and knew were head on a rest and relaxation mission, but instead of making it, their helicopter was shot down. My team had to go clean the site, recover the bodies, and inventory their belongings. Man life is tough, but even tougher if you know the people. There were two other tough missions. The first were, when three Special Forces soldiers had been killed, when they were given orders not to shoot into a crowd even if they were receiving fire, not only did we have to process their bodies, but we also had to process the bodies of the people who had killed them. We are mortuary affairs first, and as such we have a moral obligation not to look at uniform, or lack of one, but to look at the person and understand their journey had come to a end, and it was our job to treat them with respect because every one has family and friends that care for them, it was not are job to judge right or wrong, which is very hard. The second tough mission was when we went with a convoy head to a site, that they had reportedly killed Sadam Husain, but in fact the compound was filled with animals and women and children. I do not think the Air Force meant to kill them, they were trying to do there job in following cell phone singles, and when they split, they went after the most likely target. On this mission two things had happened. One back in Alsad I was having bad night terrors, but the person in charge of my team figured the answer was not sending me back, but instead was to put me on night duty, and to change the location I slept on, in the location I was, this almost spelled disaster for me and my friend, when I woke up and started to scream at the top of my lungs, the people sleeping around the truck react and were about to shoot in the back of the truck, when my Sgt yelled stop he is just dreaming, oh thank god. The second thing is as I stated before, we are trained to respect the dead, and their belongings. This did not transfer to the people there, instead they were ordered to bury everything, destroy all evidence and move on. That pretty much covers Iraq.
When I got back to the states, I faced many hardships under the care of the Army. I am like millions of other veterans dealing with mental and physical scars of war. Most Americans will never know about these issues because it is not covered in the news or articles. The Army has become a two-sided issue for me; it was once a place where I wanted to succeed at being a great solider and fight for our rights and our country. Now that I came home I am still fighting another battle, however, this fight, I fight alone. I am trying to cope with sudden flashbacks, traumatizing combat events, hyper-vigilance to the recurrence of danger, feelings of numbness, low self-esteem, rage, and lapses in concentration. All of these have caused me to descend in my quality of life. I thought the Army and my unit would continue to care for me, treat me as a fellow solider, and assist me with finding resources for coping and healing. However, this was not the case, my unit classified me as a troublemaker, an unfit solider. As a result, they discharged me out of the Army abruptly without taking responsibility for the causes of my PTSD illnesses. Like other soldiers, I tried to reach out for help but once the system failed, I tried to commit suicide twice during my service. Luckily, both times, one of my few friends stopped me. This incident put me in a mental hospital involuntarily, where they doped me up on strong medicines, and no one cared to seek the reasons behind the action. I wasn’t allowed to receive my care at the Army hospital, because if procedures were followed, there would have been a long investigation and no one wanted to take the time to take care of their wounded soldiers with PTSD. Instead, I was discharged immediately with personality disorder. This seems to be the common practice for the Army, not just in my case but also 20,000 other veterans. At 5 P.M. September 16, 2004, my last official orders from the Army were, TO GET OUT!! Heavily medicated, I received my car keys, and was told to drive over 5000 miles, all the way home to Phoenix, Arizona. My feelings that proscribed afterwards are indescribable.
Even though I am still in my own body, this whole experience has shaped my life. Following my physical return home to Phoenix, AZ, I, however, didn’t return home with my state of mentality. My homecoming wasn’t what I imagined, that is because it was based on tv and movies I’ve seen about returning soldiers as hero’s. I became hospitalized time and time again.
Don’t worry, my story gets better and does have a great beginning. This new chapter in my life begins with the chance meeting the love of my life, my wife. With her continued support, I am able to handle some things on my own. A great support system, love, understanding, and patience, is what I think all soldiers should have and receive upon their return home. After all, the important issue is that we are all humans! With the good and the bad, we will always have our memories.
So on this Veterans Day and every day the best way to honor our veterans is to connect with them. So please remember and honor our fellow humans, our veterans. Without recognition from our family and friends, it doesn’t seem like all of our efforts make a difference. Many of us new veterans are being left behind, we have honored you by defending your rights, and all we ask is to welcome us home.
Sincerely,
Joshua C. Poulsen
Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran
Posted by: Joshua Poulsen | November 11, 2008 at 11:23 AM