In the light of memorial day, we stop to remember the fallen ones. We show appreciation for the veterans in this country. However, I have noticed a big problem with this country: our veterans are being ignored.
In 1941, my grandpa went off to war at 17. He lied of his age to be a serviceman on the USS Andrew Jackson, a ship that was sent to Iwo Jima.
During the darkest 31 days of his life, he tried to escape on a smaller boat. He was stopped cold in his tracks, given a gun, and pushed out on the island. He survived the whole thing, but died as a result of alcoholism which he turned to when nobody was willing to help him. My dad never met him and I never met him. In fact, this story is one that my uncle confessed to us.
We honor the dead, but we fail to acknowledge those who survive the wars. We only see that they have been through hell and back once they die on the field and neglect those that made it out. To all the veterans of my country, I thank you so much for the time you sacrificed to fight for what you believed in. I hope we make the necessary changes to help you through PTSD, depression, etc.
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