Red. The color of the blood of civilians that stained the streets and seeped from the wounds of a soldier's comrades. White. The blank eyes of the deceased citizens, staring at the sky without emotion, almost tranquilly. Blue. The color of the sky as bombs rained down on the soldiers, exploding and causing a deafening burst of sound that covered the victims' screams. Ultimately, these are the appalling memories veterans remember from their service- if they live to remember them. Each year, the courageous service of our country’s veterans is lauded on Veterans Day with parades and ceremonies. Decorated soldiers are seen smiling and reunited with their friends and families, glad to be back from the war and gone from the gore of the battlefield. But what civilians of America are not aware of is that the grinning, relieved soldiers they see are still suffering from the war mentally. Although veterans seem physically sturdy and heroic, this is only a facade for their internal weakness and depression. After surviving countless near death experiences, one would presume that soldiers would feel grateful to be alive, but unfortunately, each day 22 veterans commit suicide as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or traumatic brain injury (Worland). Even though veterans are admired in society for their bravery and patriotism, they suffer from unfair disadvantages as citizens financially, educationally, and physically, thus hindering their ability to transition into their previous lifestyle off the battlefield. Therefore, many of them suffer from mental instability, which can cause them to resort to unhealthy addictions, harm themselves or others, or even take away their own life. In spite of soldier suicide hotlines, associations, and mental health services, these efforts are not sufficient, as the number of annual soldier suicides has remained at a record high number since 2009 (Zoroya). In order to properly acknowledge and thank veterans for their service, it is the government’s job and the people’s responsibility to support veterans affairs.

The History of Veterans Benefits
   

Since World War I, returning veterans have been struggling to transition back into their lives at home. After the devastating war, veterans only received $60 in payment and a train ticket to their friends and family whom they hadn’t seen in years and a place they used to call “home,” but was now a faint memory from before the war. During the Great Depression, veterans had a tough time finding high-income occupations because of their limited professional experience, and to help veterans support themselves Congress passed the World War Adjusted Act of 1924, a bill that provided a bonus to veterans based on the number of days they served in the military. However, their payment wasn’t given to them until several years later because of the government’s deficit, and so veterans did not receive immediate financial aid. The Servicemen's Readjustment Act, passed by Roosevelt in 1944, paid unemployed veterans $20 per week to assist them fiscally, but many people disliked the bill because they believed it reduced veterans’ incentive to get a job and not have to depend on the government's welfare (US Department of Veterans Affairs). Others questioned the idea of having battle-hardened veterans attend colleges and universities, a right reserved for the wealthy in the early 20th century. The bill also provided loan guarantees for homes, farms, or businesses, and it promised unemployment pay to returning soldiers. After the bill was passed, more veterans participated in education or training programs and bought homes rather than seeking jobs. For example, by 1947, veterans accounted for 49% of college admissions and 64% were still living with friends or family (US Department of Veterans Affairs). After being nullified for several years, the law was brought back in 1984 and has most recently been updated in 2008 to cover more of veterans’ academic expenses. Also, the law was revised to provide veterans' with a living allowance, give them money for books, and allow them the ability to transfer unused academic benefits to their spouse or children. In 2014, President Barack Obama passed the Veterans Choice Law, which “allowed veterans who lived outside of a reasonable distance to go to a health care facility of their choosing closer to where they live – or even receive care at a facility providing responsive services” (West). However, Obama has reduced the veterans affairs budget by $1.4 billion dollars, only six months after he signed the Choice Card program into effect.

The Significance of Veteran Support Programs
   

According to the magazine NIH MedicinePlus, 31% of Vietnam War veterans suffered from PTSD, 10% from the Gulf War, 11% from the Afghan War, and 20% from the Iraqi War (PTSD: A Growing Epidemic). Combat exposes soldiers to traumatic life and death situations and gory violence, both of which can cause PTSD, depression, flashbacks, hallucinations, and heighten soldiers’ risk of suicide. Despite being more physically fit than people of the general population because of their intense training programs, many veterans are mentally unstable and require treatment after returning from war to prevent suicide. For example, according to TIME Magazine, more U.S. soldiers have committed suicide than have been killed in combat in the Afghan War (Thompson). During their service, some soldiers experienced traumatic brain injury from blast waves due to explosions during combat, which causes mental instability because the brain is rattled inside the skull. Also, soldiers undergo severe physical injuries and disabilities in combat, which can cause PTSD and impede them from finding a job. More treatment facilities should be made to heal these “invisible wounds” of former soldiers and prevent veterans from committing suicide. After coming back from war, many veterans experience difficulty transitioning back into life at home. For example, many cannot find immediate employment to support themselves and adapt to the culture of civilian life after being hardened from seeing so much bloodshed. Only 72% of veterans of the last decade’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were employed in 2013 (Worland). Many veterans are unemployed not only because of their physical impairments but also because they’re unaware of how to professionally interact with others and negotiate salary and benefits (Hawryluk and Ridley-Kerr). The government should create more programs to educate veterans on professional networking and increase their incentive to find jobs. Furthermore, veterans can develop unhealthy habits during their transition into civilian life, such as alcoholic addictions, drug abuse, or social isolation (Worland). According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, one in four veterans binge drinks at least once a week (Worland). More health programs should be funded to educate veterans on the physical dangers of drinking excessively. However, many veterans do not seek help for their problems because they have been trained to be stoic and independent in the military (Worland). More associations such as the Air Force Anti-Suicide Program, which works to make veterans feel more comfortable in reporting their mental health issues, should be financed by the government (Worland). However, what is even more important is that higher sums of money should be invested into the science behind these suicides. For example, the government should allot more money to doctors to research ways to change traumatic memories before they’re consolidated in the brain and prevent PTSD in soldiers. Also, the government should fund the marketing of D-cycloserine, an antibiotic that reduces fear and makes exposure therapy go faster, and make it available to and financially accessible for veterans after returning from war.

How Budget Cuts Will Affect Veterans and Potential Solutions
   

With the intent of reducing the national deficit, the government is proposing budget cuts for human needs programs and defense spending. However, if these veteran support organizations are cut, even more veterans will be homeless, unemployed, and physically jeopardized. According to the Center for American Progress, “1.5 million veterans are are at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing” (Hawryluk and Ridley-Kerr). However, organizations such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veterans Affairs have housed more than 33,000 veterans since 2009 and given veterans access to health care (Hawryluk and Ridley-Kerr). If these programs are discontinued due to budget cuts, the veteran homelessness rate will increase rapidly. Additionally, budget cuts will cut VA medical care by $690 million, meaning 70,000 fewer veterans will receive VA care, more people on the VA health care staff will be laid off, and there will be delays in medical research. Furthermore, construction of VA medical facilities and national cemeteries will be delayed or canceled. The government must attempt to resolve foreign conflicts to reduce defense spending and invest more in veterans affairs. As Karl Marlantes, author and veteran, says, “When the peace treaty is signed, the war isn't over for the veterans, or the family. It's just starting,” and it is the citizens’ obligation to aid veterans in their personal wars and heal their invisible wounds.