Wednesday, March 15, 2017

How Vietnam Vets Donation Has Impacted The Lives Of So Many

By Christine Parker


It seems strange today to think there was a time when soldiers returning from a war zone were treated with contempt and protests. They were jeered at public rallies and confronted on the streets if they appeared in uniform. Many who returned from the war in Southeast Asia came back with drug habits and mental problems. There are those who still struggle, and need the help a Vietnam vets donation can make.

Many organizations that aid veterans depend on donations for survival. A lot of their staff members are volunteers or work for low wages. They believe it is important to help as many veterans as they can. Some service people, wounded in combat, require multiple surgeries and complicated and costly rehabilitation. They may not be employable for months or years. This can cause hardships for the loved ones who care for them.

For the Southeast Asian war veterans, post-traumatic stress disorder has been a particular problem. Many of them have found it nearly impossible to maintain a normal life over the years. These veterans were also exposed to the deadly agent orange and have suffered from the effects of that exposure. Veteran suicide rates are much higher than those of civilians, which is testimony to the difficulties many face when they try to adjust to life off the battlefield.

Understanding what benefits they are entitled to and how to go about getting them, is very confusing for a lot of veterans. One of the things donations help nonprofits do is to make sure benefit paperwork is filled out correctly and goes to the right agency, so the veteran can begin to receive assistance as soon as possible. They keep up with the legislation going through Congress that will affect soldiers and contact representatives on these veterans' behalf.

A lot of young people who graduate from high school, but aren't ready to go to college, enlist in the military. After they have completed their tours of duty, many don't know how the skills they learned fighting will translate in a civilian workplace. Nonprofits help a lot of these young people with resumes, counseling, and interview techniques. They even help them apply to colleges if they are interested. The staff of these are experienced in getting the financial aid packages that help these veterans find work or higher education.

Veteran's nonprofit groups work on Capitol Hill to lobby for benefits and rights concerning these soldiers. They meet with committees and are in constant contact with the Armed Services committee members in Congress.

Isolation and depression are big problems for some veterans trying to reenter the civilian world. Donations to nonprofits make it possible for them to connect with other soldiers, sometimes veterans of other wars, who can relate to the issues and struggles they have. These outreach programs are a vital part of the work nonprofits do.

Whether they chose to enlist or were drafted, these brave men and women have earned the right to good healthcare, education, and jobs. They have gone into areas many people would never consider going, and most would willingly go again.




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