Today is a special day to honor our veterans. They’ve done so much for us. They should be considered all other days of the year, as well. Telling them “Thank you for your service” gives them some recognition, but it doesn’t improve the situation affecting their mental and emotional health. In a study asking veterans how often they feel lonely, 44% said at least sometimes and 10.4% said often. It makes sense–they miss the of the community and comradeship they had in their military unit. So they withdraw.
We can easily do something about this. We can include vet-friends, family, or acquaintances in our lives more. At least, we can call them on a regular basis, visit with them often, invite them to join us for activities, meals, a spur-of-the moment coffee at a local coffee shop. Anything that includes the basic human contact we all need. Let’s get those percentages down to zero. It’s the least we can do for our veterans.