In America, the well-being of our veterans is not emphasized enough. According to the US Department of Veteran Affairs, nearly thirty-eight thousand of our veterans were homeless in 2020. This is unacceptable, as there should be no homeless veterans in our nation. To make matters worse, for many war heroes the trauma is unbearable, as studies showed in 2010 around 31% percent of soldiers who went to war in Iraq experienced depression and PTSD, while roughly two hundred thousand soldiers still experience PTSD from Vietnam, a war that ended close to fifty years ago. War veterans are not always respected by civilians upon their return, as political beliefs often cause the “bad rap” the United States Military tends to receive, contributing to the lack of resources and assistance provided to veterans once they safely return to the States. This is unfortunate because the members of service fighting in wars on our side are following what they are told to do, which is primarily determined by the Commander in Chief. Instead of looking down on veterans, the civilians of our nation should recognize the pain and suffering they went through while they were deployed, as well as the struggles they face post-war on a regular basis. Fortunately, there are various ways for communities to come together to support our veterans, such as the Elmira VA Clinic. 

    The Veterans Health Administration is the largest integrated healthcare system in America, assisting nine million veterans per year, with one thousand two hundred ninety-eight healthcare facilities. At our local clinic, a wide variety of services are provided, including mental health, nutrition, laboratory, and specialty health services. The VA held a public event in Rochester on Tuesday, December 13th for individuals inclined to learn about a new law that has passed, called the PACT Act, resulting in a VA health care expansion as well as new benefits for veterans. The Department of Veteran affairs partners with organizations to provide homes for homeless veterans in the community. This does not mean that only organizations can make a difference. Anyone can visit the VA government website to find their Homeless and Employment coordinator to assist with providing affordable housing and opportunities for work to veterans. Helping those who served can help civilians to learn more about the people who went through extreme struggles for us, as well as receiving the satisfaction of helping those in need. Winter is around the corner, and the cold will make it more difficult for veterans struggling financially; considering it is the Holiday season, there is no better time for families to provide care for the less fortunate in their own communities.