Veterans For America

We’ve known for years that the war in Iraq was unleashing a terrible wave of PTSD among our troops. Why then should our veterans have to sue the federal government over lack of PTSD disability benefits, the benefits they’re owed? Simply put: “Our troops deserve better response to PTSD.” The VA, despite the time and knowledge of what war would produce, is still failing so many. It’s long past time to be reading headlines that say the “Military Struggles With Response to PTSD.”

With so many of our military members straining under so many back-to-back-to-back deployments, it’s hard to determine just who was deployed most. Certainly, our National Guard members are suffering an undue share of the strain — as they were not trained to function as active-duty combat forces for so long. That applies to Reservists as well. As if our Guard weren’t under enough pressure, now comes word a Guard leader may have been discriminating against the citizen-Soldiers in his own ranks. The Army is under pressure, as well. Our troops, active-duty and Guard and Reserves, shouldn’t have to strain in continuous deployments — because it also requires them to battle to keep their families whole. Some call it fighting a war while fighting for custody.

Meanwhile, the genuine front in the war against those who plotted the 9/11 attacks is widening into Pakistan — our erstwhile ally in the “war on terrorism.” Roadside bombs in Afghanistan doubled in 2008.

While the nation is hugely optimistic about the leadership of President-elect Barack Obama, members of the active-duty military are more wary, according to a new poll. One soldier who didn’t vote, but hopes to in the next presidential election, is Staff Sgt. Rene Reale — he’s preparing for his second-tour to Iraq, and to become a US citizen. More than five years after the misguided invasion of Iraq, we remember a 19-year-old Marine who died while deployed. How many more, at what cost, for what? As of next year, the Iraqis are finally taking charge of the Green Zone, the administrative center of Baghdad; these days, Iraqis have fear, and other Iraqis, to worry about. Were it not for a lousy economy back home, our military would be under even more pressure.

One Iraq war veteran’s struggle with traumatic brain injury…