Veterans Day: It’s About the Warrior, Not the War
By Barry E. Conway, Commandant
New Hampshire Veterans Home
On Veterans Day we are reminded that in a few weeks the New Hampshire Veterans Home will celebrate our 117th birthday. Here in the small and peaceful town of Tilton, New Hampshire, we’ve cared for veterans of the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. In the future we will care for veterans of the Iraq War, the war in Afghanistan, and any other wars our country may engage in.
We all know that the price of freedom is sometimes conflict. Whether or not we agree with the reasons for a war, as long as there are wars, there will be veterans. Unfortunately some wars are more “popular” than others. Some wars are even popular in the beginning and unpopular as our patience with them wears thin. Sadly, the funding for care for veterans can be as inconsistent as the popularity of wars.
Since the founding of our country, we have asked people to risk their lives for our freedom and the ideals we cherish. The men and women who serve in our armed forces fight against tyranny and oppression throughout the world. They risk their lives, and we promise we will care for them. In many cases, those promises are broken.
Many years ago, a small number of soldiers who were gravely wounded survived their battlefield injuries. Many of them never made it to a veterans home. Today the quality of medical care and the ability to evacuate wounded soldiers quickly have combined to make it possible for more soldiers to survive, but with more devastating injuries—including traumatic brain injury.
On Veterans Day we ask everyone to remember that this holiday is about people, not politics. At the New Hampshire Veterans Home it is our mission to provide every resident with the best possible quality of care and quality of life—no matter what war they fought in. The veterans who live here now and those who will join us in the future trust that we will keep our promises. In whatever way you can—whether by calling a legislator and asking them to support funding for veterans, making a donation to a veterans organization, volunteering, or just saying “thank you” to a veteran, please take the time to honor the men and women who have given so much for all of us.
Author: Barry E. Conway
Source Link: http://www.nh.gov/veterans/
