Cecil Bothwell

Since the invasion of Afghanistan in 200l, politicians and speech-makers have continually urged us to honor the brave men and women who serve as America’s soldiers. Returning veterans, on the other hand, attract far less coverage or public interest. Clearly there is a disconnect between our promise to “support the brave troops,” who ship out for deployment in a war and our determination to care for those same troops when they return.

Honorably discharged veterans who serve in Afghanistan, Iraq or any other American theater of military operations deserve all the help and support they need when they come home. For those who return without injuries, we should, at minimum, honor their service by providing free vocational and/or college education and job placement, assistance in obtaining low-interest mortgages, guaranteed pension rights and lifetime free medical care for each veteran and his/her family.

For veterans who have suffered physical and/or psychological disabilities, benefits should also include unlimited medical care, rehabilitation, therapy and assistance as well as necessary modification to homes and/or vehicles and a guaranteed lifetime income that includes realistic cost-of-living adjustments.

Under the current system, veterans are entitled to a variety of diffuse benefits which depend on their officially determined “degree of disability.” Too often, neither the veterans nor their families are able to navigate the system; as a result, many disabled veterans fail to obtain the benefits, help, and medical care that should be readily available. My solution would be to assign each returning veteran to a government-operated social work unit where a designated case worker would act as his/her advocate. The advocate’s responsibility would be to ascertain that the veteran is treated with dignity, receiving all applicable benefits in a timely, efficient manner.

Great advances continue to be made in medical science, enabling medics to treat wounded soldiers on site and transport them rapidly to state of the art hospitals for further care. Because of the new, sophisticated equipment now available to highly skilled medical personnel, many wounded troops who would previously have died as the result of serious injury are now able to survive. Caring for these patients over the long term, however, remains a challenge. Soldiers who sustain severe injuries to the brain and/or spinal cord, or who lose limbs or their sense of sight or hearing may require a lifetime of specialized care and assistance. And this is precisely where we fail those soldiers. Many end up in facilities that are badly in need of updating and repair. Some never get the level of care that they require. And often, severely injured troops lose their spouses, families and support systems because, without receiving adequate assistance, caregivers are unable to cope and ultimately give up.

We also fail to respect the impact of severe psychological shock, disorientation and trauma on our troops. Americans are raised to respect and care for life. Once trained and deployed as soldiers, however, young men and women must be willing to take lives while putting their own on the line. They may bond with fellow soldiers and risk life and limb to help or protect a “buddy;” but they are also supposed to commit acts of extreme violence when circumstances demand.

What does it do to a young soldier who realizes that he/she has just mistakenly shot a child? And how can anyone deal with watching a friend’s head explode in a burst of sudden, unexpected gunfire? For that matter, simply walking or driving in a combat zone where IEDs may horribly alter your world at any moment is a form of psychological punishment few of us will ever experience.

While serving, soldiers are surrounded by men and women who understand and share their experiences. Returning vets, however, may be isolated from military comrades and must readjust to civilian life in areas where the people know little and care less about war. Veterans not already suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder easily fall prey to depression and other psychological disturbances. There is an unusually high rate of suicides and homicides committed by psychologically disturbed but untreated soldiers.

While veterans comprise eight percent of the population, they constitute 20 percent of the homeless. Roughly 56 percent of all homeless veterans are African American or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 12.8 percent and 15.4 percent of the U.S. population respectively. As the number of women serving in the military has grown, we have seen a corresponding rise in the number of homeless female veterans as well, and programs have been too slow to catch up with their growing ranks. There are many organizations, (both governmental and private) dedicated to assist and treat veterans; but rehabilitating the disabled, unemployed and/or homeless former soldiers to the point where they can fully reintegrate into society remains an elusive goal.

Prussian military historian Von Clausewitz wrote “War is a continuation of policy by other means.” Others have called war a failure of diplomacy and a failure of communication. Perhaps we should simply call it “a failure.”

Civilians and soldiers who are directly involved in war always suffer terribly, losing loved ones, body parts and faculties, homes, possessions and even their lives. Therefore, it follows that the best way to support our troops is to keep them out of harm’s way. In the 21st Century, it is time to commit ourselves to solving problems through negotiation, cooperation and international law.
•
Cecil Bothwell, a member of Asheville City Council and a self-proclaimed progressive-libertarian, is running for the Democratic nomination for the seat now held by U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville.