New Year - Challenges for Veterans

This is the first post for 2011, with more to come throughout the year. Last year I managed one post. This year, I am already ahead of the game. What have I been up to? A lot. I have been employed at the Albany Housing Coalition now for just over three years. I work with veterans in my job as Director of Veterans Services. Most of the vets I work with are homeless but in the last year I have been working with many other veterans who are not technically homeless but who are at great risk of being. In recent months I have come across more and more veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan era. This is sad to see. Although veterans coming home today are treated better than Vietnam era veterans, there are still significant challenges facing today's returning veterans. The economy still sucks, there is dramatic increase in PTSD and TBI, and there is the failure on the part of most civilians to fully comprehend the harm to our society in general and our military members and their families specifically that has been caused by our endless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are now a decade in on these wars and all it has gotten us is trillions in debt, nearly five thousand dead, and thousands and thousands physically and emotionally destroyed. The first decade of the 21st century has been a dark one indeed. But it is the beginning of the new year, so I guess I should be more optimistic. At least since Obama was elected we haven't invaded anymore countries and we are slowing tamping down in Iraq. If you believe Biden, we will be out of Afghanistan by 2014. Not quick enough for me, but at least we are moving in the right direction. Meanwhile, I am still in the National Guard and of late I have been taking graduate classes at SUNY Albany. With any luck I will get my Master's in May. (I have been on the 20 years plan on that one...Ha ha. ) I have a lot to look forward too and continue to enjoy the time with T and the boys. So, if I haven't said it year, Happy New Year! Talk to you soon peeps!