Patriotism: More Than Just Platitudes

The following article is from the Huffington Post (note: I do NOT claim ownership):
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lloyd-i-sederer-md/military-service-and-beyo_b_781874.html

The author of this article, Dr. Lloyd Sederer, discusses what he calls "the invisible wounds of war," in describing the emotional/psychological damage our soldiers from returning Iraq and Afghanistan struggle with. While Dr. Sederer highlights some progress on the part of policymakers, private industry, and concerned citizens in helping combat veterans cope with the emotional toll of war and reintegrate into civilian life, he laments the insufficiency of such progress towards helping hundreds of thousands of veterans who are still quietly bearing their heavy emotional burdens and have not received assistance. As a patriotic American, I had a mixed reaction to this article. On the one hand I was encouraged by the progress government/private industry initiatives have made towards treating our veterans' emotional wounds. However, I felt saddened that yet another Veteran's Day has passed and we still haven't fulfilled our moral obligation as a country when it comes to taking care of our wounded (including those whose wounds are not immediately visible). I think an integral part of the problem is the very military culture our veterans chart their careers in. The "macho" culture of the military, at least according to the article, stigmatizes soldiers with emotional problems as "weak," which discourages them from speaking out and receiving the help they truly need. While I'm not sure how, I know we must work to change that perception within our military and help our combat veterans realize that knowing when to seek help and actively doing so, is a strength, not a weakness. Although no one person can change a culture as rigid as the military's immediately, I know that there are small things we each can do to make our veterans' lives better (e.g. donating even small amounts to organizations that provide soldiers with counseling). Such acts of kindness are the mark of a concerned citizenry that values its veterans and realizes that patriotism is more than simply platitudes.