Visual source: Newseum
USA Today:
On this Veterans Day, America will have been at war for more than a decade. In the years after the 9/11 attacks, much of the attention focused on the troops headed off to fight overseas. Now, the tide is reversing. Tens of thousands of servicemembers are streaming home as the U.S. military presence in Iraq comes to an end.
Unlike the Vietnam War, when returning troops were met with open hostility, today's veterans face a combination of gratitude mixed with obliviousness. It has been said that America constitutes an army at war and a nation at the mall. Only about 1% of Americans have been touched directly by these wars. As a result, the nation faces what former Defense secretary Robert Gates called "the dilemmas and consequences that go with having so few fighting our wars for so long."
The Miami Herald:
The Labor Department estimates that about 12 percent of veterans who served in the military since 9/11 are unemployed, an unacceptable level of joblessness particularly for veterans who have been serving their country in wartime. With more than 1 million veterans expected to leave the military by 2016, the need for urgent action is beyond doubt.
There are many ways to express gratitude to veterans. Take part in one of the many Veterans Day events in South Florida. Visiting a military cemetery — the closest is the South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth — is yet another way to show respect.
Even more simple, and perhaps more meaningful: Express gratitude to someone who wears a uniform, or once did, by saying, “Thank you for your service.”
The Press Democrat:
Veterans Day originally commemorated the 1918 armistice that effectively ended World War I. So it's fitting that as this year's celebration arrives, the last troops are returning from Iraq, more than eight years after the U.S. invasion.
These servicemen and women can expect a warm welcome home. They deserve no less. Beyond our respect and gratitude, however, many of these veterans will need help as they pursue post-military careers. [...] Finding work may be the biggest challenge.
Charlotte Observer:
The unemployment rate for post- 9/11 veterans continues to hover around 12 percent, almost 50 percent higher than the general population, and a new report by homeless advocacy group 100,000 Homes found that veterans stay unemployed significantly longer than non-veterans.
Those veterans, who make up a disproportionately high portion of the homeless, also are more likely to need emergency room care because of health issues ranging from heart and liver disease to tuberculosis. A Veterans Affairs Department study also shows that veterans suffering from substance abuse problems and mental health issues are straining staffs at VA hospitals.
What can be done? On jobs, the Obama administration is proposing a bill that would enhance the tax credits businesses can receive when they hire veterans. [...] The Senate unanimously passed the bill Thursday; the House should do the same next week.
The Boston Globe:
Men and women returning from military service face distinct challenges in finding work.
A third suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or traumatic brain injuries, which can make employers wary of hiring them, according to veteran services organizations.
Some employers are reluctant to hire members of the Reserves or National Guard because they can’t afford to lose a worker for six months or more if they are called up for active duty.
And in sectors that traditionally attract veterans, such as law enforcement, job opportunities have dwindled because of budget cuts.
The Orlando Sentinel:
Since 2006, the number of homeless Iraq and Afghanistan veterans has jumped more than fivefold. National groups like USA Cares can only do so much to stem foreclosures. Civic groups and churches must have veterans' backs — and help them remain under their own roofs.
From a letter to the editor by William F. Wallace:
Today we celebrate Veterans Day. Here are some questions I have for politicians and people everywhere:
•Why isn't "unemployed vet" an oxymoron?
•Why isn't "homeless vet" an oxymoron?
We have our money troubles, but it seems that the least we can do for these heroes, and they are all heroes, is help them get jobs and a place to live.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki:
Since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, almost three million American men and women have answered our nation's call to arms to defeat what came to be known as al Qaeda and those associated with it. Now, after 10 years of war, almost 1,350,000 who deployed overseas have returned to our communities. But more than 850,000 veterans of all generations remain unemployed. Over the next five years, we project that another one million will be leaving the military. We must not let the Vietnam experience repeat itself for this generation of veterans.
On Thursday, First Lady Michelle Obama announced a significant commitment by U.S. companies to hire 100,000 veterans and military spouses by 2014. This was a direct response by companies like Microsoft, Home Depot, Citi and UPS to President Obama's challenge to the private sector to offer jobs and career opportunities to veterans, wounded warriors and their families. These companies, like the ones who have already hired veterans, will not be sorry.[...]
Let's get out there to mobilize our communities and ensure that veterans have the opportunity to compete. We have some great young men and women counting on us to come through for them and their families. Let's not let them down. Happy Veterans Day and Welcome Home!