Today is Veterans Day, and following Tuesday's Assembly we pause to honor the Vets. Check out the documentary below on the wonderful all-volunteer effort of Honor Flight Chicago, a mission to get living World War II Vets, members of the "Greatest Generation," to Washington, D.C. to see the World War II Memorial. From Census figures, the U.S, Veterans Administration estimates about 1,000 U.S. World War II veterans die every day.Parades, memorials, flags, lapel pins and bands are important and appropriate to honor veterans. But what about policy? Linked below is a legislative update drafted by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). The grassroots interest group is tracking some bad 2010 New Veterans’ Unemployment On Track to Be Worse than 2009 and1 Suicide Every 36 Hours and some good One Big Step Forward, But Backlog Remains Staggeringly High Also notice, not much being talked about the repealing of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
For More: //iava.org/
Also to re-watch the WVHS Veterans Day Assembly ~ Nov. 9, 2010
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Blog any of your thoughts on Veterans Day, Veterans Policies or school patriotism here. Enjoy your day, and think about those who have served our country.
WVHS Veterans Day Assembly ~ Nov. 9, 2010
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1 comment:
I want to preface with that my three granddads were veterans and my two uncles currently are. I believe that the least a nation can do for those that serve her is to provide them with decent, well-funded healthcare, and I am suprised how despite the idea of funding VA hospitals is a bi-partisan issue, these hospitals remain underfunded and for many out of reach (There is only one VA medical centre in New Hampshire, but it out of reach to most in the state (20m from the capital, 30m-1h to the populas part of the state, and up to 2h30 in the northern and western communities)
As for school patriotism, I felt the assembly was a bit over the top, but it could just be myself, considering I plan on emigrating after graduation. It felt a bit like a church service minus an offical deity (incorporated by the songs) or a recruiting efforts, processional, "sermons", etc. And while I commemorate our administration for having the entire school honour the veterans, shoving patriotism down our throats in an offical capacity isn't right. If I wanted to be surrouned by patriotism, I would volunteer at the VFW or a VA hospital;similarly if I wanted religion shoved down my throat I would attend a religious service or volunteer at a religious organisation. I attend school for the academics, not for the ceremonies and sermons.
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