Our Veterans Deserve Better: What is the Responsibility of Those Still in Uniform?
Abstract
In the summer of 1932, amid the Great Depression, several thousand veterans of World War I gathered in the nation s capital to express their discontent with the U.S. government. In particular, they came to protest the failure of Congress to pass legislation to provide veterans with emergency relief. This Bonus Army camped in Washington for 10 weeks, growing to 24,000 people before it was finally evicted by federal troops after two protesters died in clashes with Capitol Police. Nearly 80 years later, our nation is encountering a similar level of disaffection. The ostensible value of military service is matched neither by societal action nor by the reality of the conditions our veterans face. That military veterans joined ranks of the 99 percent in the Occupy Wall Street movement and exercised their rights to speak out indicates their concern. This situation will likely worsen as the force shrinks. In January, senior officials announced cuts of about 100,000 Army and Marine Corps service members; over the next five years, defense specialists estimate, military end strength may shrink by up to 200,000 personnel. Our active-duty, reserve-component and former service members are closely watching the Capitol Hill budget debates. They realize that health care and entitlement programs may be in jeopardy. Justifiably, they fear that reductions in the defense budget will lead to more hardship. It is easy to understand why those who have served may perceive an erosion of the commitment to take care of our veterans. Much of this is out of the hands of those who still wear the uniform. Many decisions are in the realm of the political, where serving military personnel may not tread. Others are properly the responsibility of civilian agencies and organizations. But there is much that can be done, and much that must be done.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA590732
Entities
People
- Charles D. Allen
Organizations
- United States Army War College