The Veterans' Project- Extra Credit

Kaylie Harden
Kh423915@ohio.edu

On Veterans’ Day, we honor those who have served our country by sacrificing their own liberties, and in some cases their lives, to afford the rest of America the freedoms we often take for granted. Initially, we consider the violence and stress that soldiers endure during their active duty, but seldom do we recognize the lasting effects that deployment can have on our country’s veterans. Before watching The Veterans’ Project, I had never been exposed to the trauma that many veterans relive every day.

 It’s easy to assume that the tough men and women that represent our country can weather any storm, but The Veteran’s Project sheds new light on the hurdles that soldiers returning home face, particularly, dealing with post-traumatic stress. In the discussion about PTS, which is commonly referred to as post-traumatic stress disorder, veterans and other professions dealing with military are sensitive not to associate the condition with the word ‘disorder’. Medically speaking, symptoms of post-traumatic stress are indicative of a mental disorder, however the connotation associated with the term ‘disorder’ can leave Veteran’s feeling broken and disadvantaged as a result of their sacrifices.  By eliminating ‘disorder’ from the label of their condition, veterans and other people coping with post-traumatic stress are empowered to manage and overcome their mental obstacles. People suffering with PTS are not unable to transition back into civilian life or function in a daily routine as the word ‘disorder’ would make it seem. 

The Veteran’s project also highlights the experience of soldiers in receiving medical treatment, both in combat and in civilization. When discussing combat, many of the veterans had nothing but positive things to say about the medical attention they received. The most common praise was for the speed in which they were tended to, transported to safety, and returned home to the United States. After returning home, however, several of the featured veterans expressed that they had an opposite experience. In civilization, veterans that attempted to make appointments through the Veterans Affairs' hospital described long wait times, limited appointment availability, and a tedious bureaucracy. Most of the veterans recognized that this contrast in care was not due to direct flaws in the VA, but more so to the lack of resources available to the VA and its veteran patients. In comparison to combat, the men and women in the film shared that civilian life had left them feeling as though they had lost their significance and sense of purpose. 

(Photo by Ethics Unwrapped)

While overseas, members of the military receive direct orders and have predetermined missions with specific instructions on how they should be carried out. The structure that was formerly provided for them during their service eliminated the anxieties that they were re-exposed to when they returned home. After hearing the stories shared in The Veterans’ project, it has become painfully apparent that VA is underfunded and lacks the necessary resources to grant its patience the attention they deserve.  Our nations warriors come back wounded both mentally and physically, and require specialized treatment that is currently in shortage. At the end of the film, there wasn’t a request from The Veterans’ Project for donations or extra funding, but an invitation to listen to their stories. The best thing that we, as fellow Americans, can do to help our vets is to offer our attention, extend our appreciation, and serve as advocates for the those who sacrifice everything to protect our autonomy.