America’s Sentiment Towards Veterans Goes In and Out Like the Tide

This Veteran’s Day celebrates my twentieth year of being a veteran, which equals the number of years I was on active duty. During those forty years, I have seen positive and negative sentiments toward veterans go in and out like the tide.  

When I was a junior officer in 1983, I was met with the negative public opinion generated from the hangover of discontent left by the Vietnam War. As I walked in uniform through a US airport, people confronted me directly with negative comments, openly questioning how I could support the military and the war agenda. We were instructed to take the higher road and not engage in the conversation. The tide was distinctly out. They say time heals all wounds, but this early exposure left its mark on my soul. 

As the Persian Gulf conflict (Desert Shield and Desert Storm) begun in the late 1980s, there was a growing disrespect for members of the military. There was still not wide military support from the American public, but as the conflicts escalated the perception began to change, thanks in large part to the efforts of Four-Star General Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf. He reminded the public that these were real people who were fighting in these wars. Whereas in past wars, the news reported only the numbers of servicemen and -women who died, now the media was actually putting faces to those numbers. We got to learn a little bit about who each person was, what their hobbies and interests were, where they were from, and their family they left behind. These details made the reality of the situation more tangible to the civilian public, and there was more positive visibility and empathy for active service members and veterans.

The events associated with September 11th, 2001 changed America’s belief regarding perceived isolation from the rest of the world and the need for protection. Many citizens joined the Armed Services over the next couple of years with renewed patriotism. The tide of respect and acknowledgment flooded into our country like a storm surge. Our engagement on foreign soils (Iraq and Afghanistan) was important. Many servicemen and -women made the ultimate sacrifice, and are rightly viewed as heroes. We celebrate these heroes on Memorial Day. 

During this high tide, many soldiers – also heroes – returned home and were greeted as social media icons.  The American public received those soldiers with respect and an attitude of understanding which had not been seen since the first and second World Wars. Another important change for returning veterans is the attention given to physical and mental health issues. Veterans are getting appropriate access to care for post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and other conditions — all of which were unheard of during Vietnam and previous wars. Certainly, there is still work to be done around timely access to care and care for patients from diverse backgrounds, but there have been improvements. 

Today, I believe our nation’s attitude towards veterans remains at high tide. Government and industry seems to have their hearts right when it comes to acknowledging and showing gratitude toward veterans. I have seen numerous job re-entry pathways recently become available for our servicemen and -women, and there are also thousands of assistance programs for individuals and their families from private organizations. While all veterans may not yet be comfortable accessing and receiving support from these programs, I believe veterans do appreciate them and they are gaining acceptance. 

To highlight the nation’s changed viewpoint, many cities are holding Veterans’ Day parades and celebrations honoring the veterans and their contributions. I and many veterans are proudly wearing our uniforms, which was unheard of twenty years ago. When I attend veterans' events, or use my retired military card for identification purposes, I am often greeted with a sincere, “Thank you for your service.” This gratitude may not mean a lot to those who have not served, but it resonates deeply with me and reinforces the sense of honor I feel as a serviceman who contributed to maintaining freedom and the American way of life.

These interactions reinforce why we did what we did. That said, the public will never truly understand what each veteran holds in their own soul. Each of us has a unique story to tell, and we are the sole owner of our active duty experiences and memories. We veterans tend to internalize our emotions and hold our feelings inside as a way to protect ourselves, so it's great to see that there are more and more programs to help veterans share their experiences. This is a positive trend for veterans and for society to work toward a shared understanding of the veteran experience. 

As the tide continues to rest highly on our shores, it’s important to reflect that nothing’s really changed in our country’s nearly 240 years of military history. Like the veterans who came before me and those who have come after, we were and are just doing our job in alignment with the mission to support and serve our great country. I am proud to be a Veteran.