Lack of Veteran Care by courtney

Lack of Veteran Care by courtney - July 2017 Scholarship Essay

My TED talk would be revolved around how the veterans in America aren’t being taken care of the way they should. They’re out there everyday fighting for our freedom and the least we can do is give them the medical or psychiatric care they need. It’s devastating to see veterans homeless on the streets or killing themselves because they can’t get the care they need. In a recent VA study, they discovered that 20 veterans commit suicide each day. Something has to be done about this before it worsens.
The men and women who fight or have fought for our freedom shouldn’t have to stoop to begging for money on the side of the roads. It’s our duty to care for them just as it was their duty to protect our country. Nearly 8,000 are committing suicide yearly, almost 50,000 are homeless, and about 500,000 are unemployed.
The first problem is the lack of quick and accessible healthcare. A 2014 study showed that more than 1.2 million veterans lack healthcare insurance. The wait after filing a claim to receive disability benefits from the VA can be from a couple of days up to several months. In 2015 307,000 veterans died while waiting for VA healthcare. The backlash of this long wait is the mental toll it puts on these wounded warriors and can even lead to death and suicide. 22 veterans commit suicide daily which makes up 18% of America's suicides alone.
One solution to the veteran healthcare crisis is to increase the availability and pace. Out of those diagnosed with PTSD who seek medical help, only half receive minimally adequate care. They look upon this aid as a foundation for their lives. However, some don’t seek healthcare for other reasons such as not wanting to appear weak or dependent, being overwhelmed by the whole process, or that they simply aren’t aware that they need care.
The second problem is the number of veterans without homes. The reason for having so many homeless veterans is due to disabilities or psychological problems from being at war that prevent them from being able to obtain a job.
A good majority of men and women entering the military entered at a young age right out of high school without much experience handling money or housing. They especially need guidance on adjusting back to civilian life in the “adult world.” Most of these soldiers returning home have no job, house or plan on how to survive. They shouldn't have to worry about where their next meal is coming from after returning from protecting our country.
There once was a two-year period of transitioning for veterans before they came back home. This was a time for them to make a plan about money, housing, and jobs. They could figure out where they wanted to live and what they wanted to do in civilian life. Now they only get 30 to 60 days. “...many of them have been overseas for years and don't really know where to begin. They usually go home but find that their families and friends have all changed or even moved away,” (Lerner, M. 2016, July 14). The solution to the homeless problem could be fixed by extending this period of transitioning.
The most obvious roadblock for this solution is financial responsibility. Those who are hesitant with this investment only see what will be lost instead of what will be gained. They overlook the final benefits because of the hefty price to pay. It would take hundreds of millions of dollars alone just for housing for vets. In the minds of anti-war citizens, spending money to support vets is somewhat against their beliefs and would be hypocritical.
The last problem is the high unemployment rate among veterans. A large percentage of vets coming back home from war are in some way mentally, physically, or psychologically damaged. Even if they’re fully healthy some businesses still have to meet burdensome requirements to employ them if they already have health care through the VA or the Defense Department. Many veterans seeking employment don’t qualify for certain jobs. The amount of skill it takes to lead a mission is incredible and somehow they don’t measure up to employers standards for civilian jobs. The only jobs explicitly reserved for veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs are janitors.
PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a disorder defined as failure to recover after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event. Employers sometimes classify all of them as having PTSD when they clearly don’t. About 60% of employers said they were uncertain about the safety of hiring someone who has PTSD. This assumption makes it nearly impossible for them to get hired and are most of the time overlooked in the application process. We need to either create more jobs designed specifically for disabled veterans or supply them with the essential financial compensation to carry them on and provide them with a stable life.
In conclusion, the problems we are facing with veteran care in America today are very troubling. They’re taking their lives by the day and something needs to be done about this. Whether it’s government support or donations from anyone, it will help. Necessary action needs to be taken to solve this issue quickly and effectively. It’s our duty to help them as it was their duty to help us.