America neglects needs of veterans
Veterans Day, known as Armistice Day in most nations, commemorates the signing of the Armistice by German forces, ending the first World War on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.
With the nation still in Iraq and Afghanistan, the holiday has taken on new significance for an increasing number of veterans and their families.
US military veteran Jake Diliberto, who fought in both Iraq and Afghanistan, said he thanks God for his fellow soldiers and their sacrifices; however he said the Pentagon is off track when it comes to America’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“It’s not in the interest of the Americans people. The wars are hurting our soldiers. They’re coming back with long term costs; PTSD, fingers lost, arms lost, and as a result no one seems to care, the media doesn’t care. The New York Times said in the last election that only 7 percent of the population cared,” said Diliberto. “It’s time to bring the wars to an end. It’s time to get the population engaged and it’s time to get people aware that war has costs.”
The media has made an effort to demonstrate that the wars are ongoing, but failed to educate the American people on the cost of war for soldiers and what they endure.
“The American people have been removed from the real costs of war, and it’s the media’s fault,” he added. “You’ve got Fox News saying ‘support the troops, were at war on terror, go, go, go’ and then you have MSNBC that’s been semi-critical. But, nobody has brought somebody on that has a horrible dream to share, that talks about sleepless nights, that talks about alcohol addictions, and pretty much people say, I support the troops, and meanwhile the long term costs of war have not been raised by the media at large.”
Pop culture has also added to the myth of the military and combat. A new video game, Call of Duty, makes war look fun; it makes war look sexy, Diliberto said.
“War is not sexy. It’s brutal, it’s ugly,” he said.
As a veteran, Diliberto explained that he is opposed to the wars because there is no end game. The wars are ongoing and there is no end in sight.
After veterans return from combat they are thrown back into civilian life. There is no training to reenter their old lives and there is minimal aid for those experiencing physical or mental health concerns.
“The military has got to change something fundamentally,” Diliberto said.