2020 has been a challenging year for everyone. We call it “unprecedented.” Yet, we have faced many challenges in the past and we have come together as a country to get through them. 75 years ago, we saw the end of World War II. While the circumstances were very different from our current pandemic, everyone in America was affected by that war – both on the battlefield and here at home. We call the people who lived through it “The Greatest Generation” for good reason.
Veterans Day is November 11th and many organizations and facilities are working overtime to modify their annual recognition of Veterans to meet COVID-19 guidelines and keep their community safe.
Memorial Day, for me, is a day of humility. I live in a great country with unparalleled freedom. I didn't earn that freedom. I wave a flag striped in red reminding me of the sacrifice of those who paid for my freedom. In the Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln honored fallen soldiers by acknowledging "they gave the last full measure of devotion". Indeed, to die for one's cause is the ultimate act of devotion.
The Vietnam War lasted from August 4, 1964 through May 7, 1975. It was arguably the longest and most unpopular war the United States has ever been in with over 57,000 soldiers killed and 153,303 wounded. Many soldiers who served in the Vietnam War returned home with moral injuries that still cause mental pain and alienation.
When Veterans are faced with a chronic or advancing illness, memories from years of combat may revisit them throughout their care. These thoughts can be linked to emotional, spiritual, or psychosocial traumas and can place additional strains on their quality of life and their loved ones.
