It is unacceptable to me that anyone in my country should be homeless. It is unacceptable to me that anyone in my country should go without proper physical and mental health care. It in unacceptable to me that anyone in my country should have trouble finding work when they are willing and able. But when I think of veterans facing these problems, it is especially upsetting. These are people who risked everything because they believed they were protecting and preserving our country. Don't we owe it to them to give them the support they need when they return? While there are many resources available to veterans, these aforementioned statistics show that we are clearly dropping the ball somewhere.
I wrote this poem for my book Things I Should Have Said. It describes the life of a soldier who goes to war and comes home with PTSD, but does not have the proper resources to deal with it. It also speaks of his friends and family who didn't know how to deal with his struggles when he came home. I hope by sharing this, it will encourage you to reach out to a veteran you know. Let them know that you are here for them, and that you are listening.
If you are veteran who needs assistance, or if you want to do something to help, I will list some phone numbers and websites that are good resources:
Veteran's Crisis Line:
1-800-273-8255 Press 1
Text 838255
https://www.veteranscrisisline.net
US Department of Veteran Affairs (has many resources: health, housing, job, etc.)
https://www.va.gov
Resources for friends and Family:
https://www.oefoif.va.gov/FamilySupport.asp
In peace,
-J. M. Degamo
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