Veterans Day

I believe there is a disconnect between people and veterans because there are a lot of veterans that are just unable to provide for themselves or family's and feel helpless. I believe veterans should be more respected because when serving our country we got beat down and programed for respect, honor, duty, and all the above along with the skills only the devil himself should have. I sit back read a couple blogs talking about veterans should suck it up and realize its not easy for anyone out here so we should have to face the same and suck it up. I would say yea well how about you take someone in your family with disabilities and drop them off downtown somewhere and forget about them and let them survive on their own (its just not right) I'm not saying we are completely helpless but its not right that because of our disabilities we have a hard time getting past interviews, our own family judges us and leaves us in isolation not realizing we don't need or expect much, I mean come on we slept in dirt in Iraq or Afghanistan and ate what we could get or find; so I'm pretty sure when a veteran is asking or begging for help that it wouldn't be such a burden to pockets, Even if a veteran is self medicating we still shouldn't be looked down on or be judge most of us are harmless because we've seen the other side and the grass isn't green nor exist. I still don't understand how these programs or people are rich from our completing our duties whether we served for good or bad its not our fault what war we fought in and we don't have anything to do with what the wars were over and for most of us were just doing a job and only joined the military because we believed it would benefit in their near future because the army failed to completely explain the real dangers we face after our service, leaving us with broken dreams and failed relationships. Do I believe its OK that I was labeled a bad person, or alcoholic or crazy after my service because I chose to self medicate not realizing the damage I was doing to myself and that I had real UN resolved issues. I look at it like this if you knowingly knew you had a family member with disabilities would you reach out a hand and help? well I understand that a lot of us veterans don't have visible wounds and I am sorry I couldn't show up to your door step with missing legs? as if I would wish this upon myself. I wouldn't and I have the most respect for any veteran that has but this still does not make it OK for people to ignore the facts that there's a lot of veterans that are disabled and lost and are being ignored or pushed away because you view them as young men that went to war so why wouldn't your be able to take care of yourself? I can honestly tell you anyone that closed their door in my face or did not help me the first two years after I was released from active duty should be ashamed of themselves considering I actually started to pursue and try to get help for my problems because I was tired of going down the road I was going down not realizing myself that I had been disabled sense the day I stepped back into America June 2009. I feel like yes who ever I came across or asked for help could have evaluated the whole situation and realized I was a harmless disabled veteran just trying to survive and better my life. Do you honestly think that after serving our country that leaves us with life long scars and problems that veterans don't deserve the government or Army should take care of us even after our service? My question to these big companies or rich people or anyone that holds a high paying job would you like it if after you served your time you were left with disabilities and would you just sit back and accept unemployment or the fact that you hold knowledge to get yourself out of your situation but you no longer can exercise your skills to help yourself? would you just sit back and let thing happen to you? I would probably say no and this is why I believe a lot of veteran commit suicide because when being released into the world your treated like a no one and no one truly cares at least anyone that can truly help. Yet veterans at least combat Vets are trained to raid houses, a small city and we were trained on so many other things but yet we don't flex our skills when some fat, or ungrateful or disrespectful person turns us away from a job interview just because of tattoos, We don't raid their homes yet they keep us from building a home. Is this not what scumbag rich people do in the first place walk around threatening people what they could do to someone that crosses them.. Ironic... yet the homeless vets let you walk past them like their nothing when their trained to kill and killed in your name just so you can fill your pockets. I just can't seem to understand how any organization that calls themselves helping veterans spend so much money on projects such as this one in this video at the top of this blog.(even for just a security guard position management might turn you away just like the two big security companies have done to me purely because of my tattoo yet I have combat training and no negative marks and only have good intentions on putting my life back together) Yet they would much rather hire some skinny punk or fat lazy person over me because of my tattoos when I would most likely because more valuable to not only the company but the people I would protect. I mean come on any civilian I have came across that I know of if they were to be injured at work they would be the first ones signing up for workers comp and trying to sue the company. So should Veterans sue the Army then? since we performed a lot of duties that weren't in our job description and most likely had a part in the cause of our disability's.? its not that there isn't any money that's owed to veterans; I believe that someones gaining profits off war; so its a matter of seeking out the money. They sure have a big budget considering they always want to cut down on number of soldiers but they are always paying these greedy company's that convince the military they need newer equipment and newer jets, tanks and everything else yet they don't nor the people voting on these things understand that our technology and weapons really don't need to be upgraded; we are just as dangerous as any other county in this world. I believe that if the civilians can't do enough to help veterans out by their own free will to want to help that the military should take a portion of their budget and give it to the veterans for free cars, loans to fix their credits or to fix their family situations; I mean come on how much over head do these big car company's or dealers have? How easy would it be for them to create a program to help give brand new (safe) cars to anyone that can provide proof of service as a veteran and if it was charitable; could they just write this. Look at it like this if someone married to a rich man for a long time and he provides everything enabling this woman to provide anything for herself and then he goes and cheats and wants to kick her out onto the streets and because of him and because she chose to stay with him all of her family had deserted her leaving her with nothing. Yet this man has a huge bank account and refuses and truly believes he should be responsible for her. I compare this to the relationship between veterans and the military, They not only send us out into the world with some cookies (awards that do nothing beside ensure people you were a good soldier when you served) but they leave us begging from the average person and the VA yet these programs that do exist are not doing enough because the issue is still very real so why is that? Is this because the average person or the VA don't have enough budget to even provide the help vets need yet the military should be responsible for our disabilities and future when they are begging for money from the government and using tax money to provide SO CALLED SECURITY TO the people. When they could use a percentage of their budget to make sure their the ones that were out doing your dirty work are taken care of or that their innocent families at least have a chance to enjoy themselves in a country their family member or members had served for. The other issue is the military/Government can hand out used equipment to police forces around the states when they could recycle the materials or resell the equipment to get the budget they want yet they just hand away millions in equipment wile draining millions to buy new stuff for what reason? Again veterans go everyday homeless with out even a vehicle to at least get around in this world we call free. All I can say is if your a veteran that it might not be easy and you might find yourself in some tough situations but do not let that be an excuse to do something you would regret or even worse hurt someone you know you don't want to hurt. If your a new vet or looking to become a vet in the near future please understand that you need to prepare you self for the worst and realize nothing can be as bad as a deployment and don't become your problem. Break cycles and prove to people we are not just left over trash. Everyday I am faced with this challenge as a veteran as a college student and as a father of a family of five. I find myself in situations just like even now where I need to pawn my laptop Mac that I use to complete my projects for school and create my art work for Never2Much; This sucks but you have to do what you got to do I will continue to move forward as I am at the finish line to graduate with my BFA. I pray everyday that the next day will be better than the last and one I won't need to pawn or loose anything I have worked so hard for.