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Hours before this Veterans Day, President Obama was in Fort Hood, Texas, remembering the worst ever mass shooting on a military base in the United States, consoling the families of the 13 who were killed and 29 injured, and acknowledging the sacrifices of all who've served and still serve in the U.S. military.
Last Thursday's tragedy, in which a military officer stands accused of killing and hurting his comrades, inevitably casts a pall over Veterans Day celebrations. The country is in mourning with those at Fort Hood, so it should be difficult to let this day go by without a single thought to the men and women who've put their lives at risk in service to this country, and in protection of our freedoms.
We hope it's difficult. Even without this painful reminder, active duty military and military veterans deserve our support and remembrance. In war after war and during peace time, they have fought and worked on our behalf - too often with inadequate equipment and supplies, and through financial hardships fostered by insufficient pay and benefits. They rarely even get thanks for their trouble.
This Veterans Day, in honor of the more than 23 million living veterans, we should vow to change that. Here's why.
"Today, veterans lead the nation in homelessness, depression, substance abuse and suicides. They rank up there in joblessness, as well." Those are the words of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. They are sad acknowledgment that we've failed to meet our obligations to military veterans and their families.
It hasn't been a secret. This editorial board has taken note of the homeless and health care problems of veterans for the past few years. It's dismaying to see that the situation remains largely the same.
Yet recently Shinseki and the Obama administration vowed to make changes. Last week at the first national summit on ending veteran homelessness, Shinseki unveiled a five-year plan that includes vocational training and jobs, safe housing and treating depression and fighting substance abuse. On Monday, Obama signed an executive order creating the Council on Veterans Employment, part of an initiative to encourage federal agencies to recruit and train military veterans.
These are good moves. So are changes over the last year to provide better health services, especially mental health help, to troops returning from ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Still, we must do more.
In North Carolina alone, more than 750,000 veterans live among us. We owe them better than we've provided in return for their service. It's past time to show our gratitude in words and in deeds.
