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Robert Tomlins of Aurora served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War.
As a U.S. veteran, it always amazes me how on days before a salute to veterans, everyone comes out of the woodwork showing their support, but the other 364 days a year, veterans don’t seem to be a thought in people’s minds. People talk big in a paper or on a radio show or a TV program, yet after the lights go out and they are no longer the center of attention, veterans once again are not even a thought in people’s minds.
Veterans, whether it is those who have served or are serving, don’t protect the United States one or two days a year. They do it every day, 24/7, 365 days a year but people don’t seem to think about it until their freedom to do what they want is challenged. When will citizens of the U.S. realize veterans need to be celebrated every day, not just one or two days a year, for what they do to keep this country a free and independent place to live?
I have been asking for help from veterans groups for months and these and other organizations don’t even respond to me. It doesn’t seem to be about helping a single veteran, but rather how much praise they can get from the public.
It is really distressing and frustrating as a veteran who served honorably, when in my experience, veterans organizations do not show the decency to even respond to every veteran — and not just to those that will be seen as amazing in the eyes of the people.
People wonder why so many veterans die by suicide. Well, there you go. It is so bad that even some veterans organizations do not answer the call when a veteran begs for help.
I can say, and it is very hard to say, because I am not a weak person, but if it wasn’t for my dog and her giving me a reason to get up every day because she needs to be taken care of, I would not be here today. And that is a fact! It is embarrassing and humiliating to say this in a paper, but the facts are the facts.
Wonder no longer, America, why so many veterans are dying. I’m confident it is because the people of the U.S. don’t give a damn 365 days a year about the people who protect their freedoms. That is just downright disgusting, from the point of a veteran ignored by his own organizations across this country. I hope they feel bad about the way they treat even one veteran, for even one is too many to disregard and reject.