How to lend veterans a helping hand

Members of the military play an important role in keeping the peace and persevering the freedoms that democracy enables. Veterans of the United States Armed Forces are celebrated each November 11 on Veterans Day. It’s important that residents in communities big and small take time on Veterans Day to recognize their brave neighbors who served in the Armed Forces. But support for veterans should not begin and end in mid-November. Indeed, there’s much anyone can do to lend veterans a helping hand all year long.

• Volunteer with local veteran assistance organizations and programs. Serving in the military is not easy, and many veterans who serve or served confront serious issues upon returning from combat or leaving the military. The Committee to Evaluate VA Mental Health Services found that 23 percent of veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND) experienced PTSD, while roughly 16 percent suffered from depression. Various organizations work to help veterans in numerous ways, and volunteering with such groups can be a great way to lend active and retired Armed Forces personnel a helping hand. The Wounded Warrior Project is one such organization, and people can help to raise funds for WWP-backed fundraisers like 5Ks and galas that are held across the nation each year.
• Reach out to neighbors who served. Simply reaching out to neighbors who served in the military can be a great way to lend a helping hand. According to the American Community Survey, more than 2.5 million veterans ages 18 and over reported having a military service-connected disability rating of 70 percent or more. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs assigns disability ratings based on the severity of a disability (or disabilities), and that percentage-based rating represents how much a disability (or disabilities) decreases a veteran’s overall health and ability to function. That millions of veterans are rated at 70 percent or more reflects a population in need, and not all of those needs are necessarily met by the VA. Those looking to lend a helping hand to veterans can offer to help those with disabilities manage daily life. Offers to shop for a disabled veteran’s groceries, drive a veteran to doctor’s appointments, help a veteran with lawn care or other household chores, or even invite a veteran over for dinner once per week are great ways to show veterans their sacrifices are appreciated and not forgotten.
• Propose and gather support for community events celebrating veterans. There’s no end to the ways communities can recognize the veterans who live among them. Community-based events recognizing local veterans ensure residents know who among their neighbors served and helped to secure and protect their freedoms and way of life. When communities host events to honor local veterans, volunteer to serve at such events and work to promote them through word-of-mouth and avenues like social media. Residents can even propose new events that raise awareness about local veterans and encourage them to share their stories with their neighbors.

Veterans Day can serve as a catalyst that encourages residents to make a concerted effort to lend a hand to veterans in need throughout the year.