On Veteran Appreciation
- Mariah W.
- Aug 19, 2016
- 3 min read
I am a veteran. I've never served in a war zone. No one shot at me while serving. I was never deployed to "the desert." Most of my duty has been distributed support stateside or stationed in the Pacific. I've lost friends, though. I have feared for the safety of my siblings as they deployed abroad. I am proud of doing my part in the defense of my family and homeland, yet my service record (and indeed, ongoing service as a reservist) is not something I commonly broadcast.
So why the soliloquy on veteran appreciation today?
Blame my television. Every other commercial on the Armed Forces Network here in the Pacific is an Olympian thanking military members for their service. Thanking a veteran is awkward - on camera, its must be tough! These athletes are not actors. They exhibit embarrassed grins, rapid blinking, flushed cheeks...all signs of stress. Many Olympians have never served under the Department of Defense. I am not asking them to, I absolutely do not recommend universal obligatory military service. Its just that many professional athletes - or even much of the American population - probably do not know someone actively serving as a Active Duty, Guard, or Reserve military member. Thanking us via commercial seems somewhat disingenuous. I genuinely believe all of America would benefit from meeting a service member, seeing them as a human. Its easier to thank a real person instead of a conceptual entity.
It is easier look like and sound like you really care when the human you thank is real.
Around 1% of the population of the United States serves in the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Marines, or Air Force. Most Americans cannot serve, even if they want, as disqualifying health and weight factors are common.(1) While awkward, it is still vital for civilian populations to understand a small portion of the population - and occasionally thank, if you wish - the professionals behind each uniform.
Some of my friends are scarred mentally and physically - home, but not quite home, mentally. Part of this is due to physical injuries, some may be due to the medications we were forced to consume.(4) Some friends have attempted to commit suicide. According to the Veterans Administration, the suicide rate of veterans is down from 22% to 18% of all deaths from suicide among U.S. adults.(2) Too many still feel alone, need help. And yet, the privacy concerns, distrust, cultural stigma, and embarrassment regarding a complex topic are real and complex for each veteran.(3)
Many just don't like to talk about their experiences at all.
I always downplay my service time and completely avoid discussing my career field. I don't feel like I have done anything out of the ordinary. Its a job, and moreover, its a job I will not discuss openly. I've gone places and seen things that 99% of the American population have never experienced. I have had a tame career, yet I always feel like a stranger in a strange land when I am in the States. How can I explain what cannot be explained?
Hi, I'm Mariah, and I'm a veteran. Thank you for thanking me. Thank you for respecting my privacy. Thank you for seeing me as a real person. I hope this helps.
Maybe General Lee says it better than I...
We should live, act, and say nothing to the injury of anyone. It is not only best as a matter of principle, but it is the path to peace and honor. - Robert E. Lee (5)
Want to understand more? Here are my cited resources:
(1) Business Insider. 28 Sep 2015) Here's Why Most Americans Can't Join the Military. Retrieved from: http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-why-most-americans-cant-join-the-military-2015-9
(2) Veterans Administration. (3 August 2016) News Release. VA Releases Report on Nation’s Largest Analysis of Veteran Suicide. Retrieved from http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/includes/viewPDF.cfm?id=2807 (14 Aug 2016)
(3) American Psychological Association. The Critical Need for Mental Health Professionals to Trained to Treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. http://www.apa.org/about/gr/issues/military/critical-need.aspx Retrieved 14 Aug 2016.)
(4) Military Times. (11 Aug 2016) Malaria Drug Causes Permanent Brain Damage. Retrieved from http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/2016/08/11/malaria-drug-causes-permanent-brain-damage-case-study/88528568/ (Retrieved on 14 Aug 2016.)
(5) Brainy Quotes. Retrieved from at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/robertele753000.html on 15 Aug 2016)
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