How Vietnam Vets Donation Has Impacted The Lives Of So Many

By Christine Parker


Most of today's returning soldiers are welcomed back with open arms and waving flags. This was not the case in the nineteen sixties and seventies when veterans returned from the war in Southeast Asia. Many of them were received with open hostility. It was not unusual to hear of angry confrontations and threats between war protesters and soldiers. In many cases this made reentry into the civilian world very difficult. That is why a Vietnam Vets donation was so important in helping many get their lives back on track.

There are a lot of nonprofits that have been organized to help retired service people with various problems they face after combat. Many soldiers return with debilitating physical challenges that require multiple surgeries and rehabilitation that can last for years. For the majority of these veterans holding a full time job is impossible, and their families suffer financially as a result.

Not all conditions veterans suffer from are physical. The Southeast Asia war produced a great number of returning soldiers diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Veterans from this era were exposed to deadly herbicidal chemicals known as agent orange. This exposure has caused disease and early death. Veterans commit suicide at much higher rates than civilians. Nonprofit agencies work with troubled soldiers to get them the help they need.

One of the most important contributions the nonprofit organizations have made to veterans is championing their rights to mental, physical, and emotional care. It is sometimes difficult for retired soldiers to navigate the complexities of the system to get the benefits they have earned. The staff on nonprofits have the skill to help them with filling out forms and writing letters to their representatives when necessary.

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.

Nonprofits who work with veterans are tireless advocates for their rights and benefits. They lobby Congress on the veterans' behalf and contact Representative and Senators when bills affecting the lives of service people are in Congressional committees.

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.

It is necessary to remember that most veterans volunteered to place themselves in harm's way. Their service to the country should be honored not matter whether or not people agree with the decisions politicians make that send soldiers into war zones.




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