As the sister of an Iraq war veteran, as someone who has served clients suffering trans-generational trauma, or direct PTSD decades after war, I can personally attest the the fact that for many, war never ends. As a country we honor those who died on the battlefield on Memorial Day-but I hope we can realize the importance of also honoring those who live with service related disabilities, or fall to suicide in the aftermath of their service. The sacrifices of these veterans, and of their families who have borne so much suffering on behalf of the rest of us should be acknowledged and respected.
Military policies leave out our Veterans who died of suicide
There are many who feel that PTSD and other "invisible" injuries should render a military person eligible for a purple heart medal in the same way that an obvious physical injury should. Some military families complain that our government chooses not to categorize mental health injuries and illnesses properly simply to avoid paying the benefits of proper treatment. This country we all love, and those who have risked it all, is worth sacrificing a bit of funding for.
We were fortunate that my brother returned from the Gulf War safely. But was he ever the same again, a normal citizen able to slip into mainstream college and relationships with ease? I don't think so. And many of the promised benefits of enlistment never seemed to materialize. I recall the tightly wound dread that permeated out home when he was away on deployment. The tense way my parents would watch the war coverage each day on the news channels. I can not imagine the pain and loss of those loved ones whose soldier/marine/sailor never came home again, or lives with massive permanent disabilities-especially the "invisible" ones. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Sleep disorders, Tinnitus, Mood Disorders...these may not look as severe as the loss of a limb, but they can be equally disabling and lead to death by suicide.
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