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"Thank you for your service."
We hear and say those words frequently, throughout the year to express gratitude for the man or woman who has paused in civilian life to step into the military and protect our great nation, our people.
Saturday is Veterans Day. Originally it was called Armistice Day, beginning on the one-year anniversary of the end of World War I, Nov. 11, 1919.
In 1926, Congress established the day as a National Day of Remembrance, and in 1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower changed it to Veterans Day to honor all who have served and sacrificed for their country -- for the rest of us who have been safe at home -- during war or peace times.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau:
• There are 16.2 million military veterans in the U.S. as of 2022.
• 1.7 million military veterans in the U.S. are female.
• The average age of military veterans is between 35 to 75.
• Half of our older military veterans are older than 65.
• One in four veterans is between the ages of 70-79.
• Three in four veterans are at least 50 years old.
Our older military veterans share a collective memory of their war experiences ... World War II, Korean Conflict, Vietnam War. Military service is a part of my family's history. No doubt, your family has members who have served and seen things that no human being should have to see. The reality is that those who have not seen, not experienced, do not know what our veterans still struggle with, sometimes years after their military service.
Using data from the 2021 American Community Survey, the Census Bureau released a report in July, "Aging Veterans: America's veterans in later life," report No. ACS-54, fleshes out the facts of older veterans and is worth the time to read and learn.
The Disabled Veterans of America organization notes the challenges that veterans face. These challenges include the changing needs of veterans over time. Some of the health issues they face may take years to surface -- post traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, hearing loss, or illnesses caused by toxic exposure. The move to civilian life requires finding a purpose for living. Depression, homelessness, and other crises may compound their distress. Disabled veterans are more vulnerable during disasters and other emergencies.
The Veterans Administration at va.gov/lists the common challenges during readjustment to civilian life. These challenges are related to understanding what the veteran has experienced, how to reconnect with family, finding their tribe, employment and structure.
It is about adjusting to something much different than their military training. For a better understanding of "tribe," you might be interested in reading the book, "Tribe, On Homecoming and Belonging," by Sebastian Junger.
Our military veterans still have a role in our society. When they are gone, their memories of their experiences leave with them. They have an understanding of what war is, of their duty to their country.
"I, ----------, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."
Thank you for your service. God bless you.
Family Recovery Center has professional staff whose members are ready to listen when you have no one else to talk to.
The goal is the health and well-being of all. For information about the agency's treatment and education programs, contact FRC at 1010 N. Sixth St., Steubenville; by phone (740) 283-4946; by e-mail at info@familyrecovery.org; or by visiting the website at familyrecovery.org. FRC is funded in part by the Jefferson County Prevention and Recovery Board.
(Brownfield is a publicist with the Family Recovery Center)