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Forgotten warriors

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Published: October 29, 2011

In response to your editorial "Coming home from Iraq" (Our Views, Oct. 28): It's always appreciated by this 63-year-old disabled veteran when The Tampa Tribune recognizes veterans for their contributions to America. However, it won't be long before they realize that a grateful nation would just as soon forget the wars and forget them.

There is a dichotomy in the editorial where, in the same paragraph, you say support for returning veterans is high and follow up saying many of the wounded will need care and treatment for 40 years or more.

I don't necessarily disagree with your statement that the troops returning from Iraq deserve a national day of recognition, but I think those who have served there and who haven't come home would prefer something far different. With some 1 million veterans' disability claims in backlog, long waiting lists to obtain critical physical and mental health care, a disproportionate percentage of veterans and their families homeless in part because they cannot obtain reasonably timely benefits or care, and an ongoing high incidence of suicide, it is extremely difficult for me and the veterans you rightly praise to believe there is high support for them within the general population.

I did not think it could be any worse for this generation of returning warriors, but it is. The chairmen and minority leaders of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and the House Committee on Veterans Affairs have informed the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction that they will not oppose cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

It's just my opinion, but I believe the majority of returning veterans would pass on a national day of recognition in exchange for Americans expressing their outrage at the lack of congressional support for them. They are the smallest population of returning veterans, all volunteers, and their voice is so small in a sea of vocal protesters.

Tampa

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