We mark Veterans' Day in order to honor the men and women who have served our country bravely and sacrifice so much.  A new generation of service members returning from Afghanistan and Iraq demands renewed commitment from us to keep society's promise to them - healthcare and education, but also reintegration into a nation that values their sacrifices and uses them wisely.  We must ensure that our veterans receive quality healthcare to address both physical and mental injuries suffered in combat in particular Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), which too often go undiagnosed.  We must fully implement the new GI Bill and ensure that Iraq and Afghanistan veterans receive the educational opportunities they have earned.  And we must do all we can to make it as easy as possible for our veterans to be effectively reintegrated into society.  America owes this to its fighting men and women.  It is a promise we must keep.

America must keep its promises to our veterans and their families.   We must "build a 21st century Department of Veterans Affairs that reflects the reality of America's all volunteer military" and "make sure that members of our Armed Forces have a fair shot at the American Dream by implementing the new GI Bill."  In an op-ed in the New York Times, Senators Jim Webb and Chuck Hagel say of the new GI bill that we must "demonstrate our respect for those who have stepped forward to serve in these difficult times. First-class service to country deserves first-class appreciation." We must "ensure that every veteran has access to quality health care for injuries both physical and mental" by requiring that "health professionals screen all service members upon their return from combat."   We must "aggressively address Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury" and make disability benefits "more fair, efficient, and equitable."  We must "combat homelessness, unemployment, and underemployment among veterans and improve the transition for servicemen between the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs."  In short, we must honor our promises to our veterans. [Democratic Party Platform. Jim Webb and Chuck Hagel, 11/9/08]

Multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan are taking a severe toll on our country's troops and veterans.  American troops have been given insufficient time between deployments, and a result are facing "severe post-combat psychological consequences." According to a report from Veterans for America, the National Guard has been hit especially hard. "Traditionally, Guard leaders have aimed to give their troops five times as much time at home as deployed. None of the three Army National Guard Brigade Combat Teams scheduled to deploy for a second time later this year will have had five years at home between deployments."  This has taken a tremendous toll on military families. "Divorce lawyers see it in the breakup of youthful marriages as long, multiple deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan fuel alienation and mistrust. Domestic violence experts see it in the scuffles that often precede a soldier's departure or sour a briefly joyous homecoming... military officials acknowledge that the vast needs outweigh available resources, and critics complain of persistent shortcomings -- a dearth of updated data on domestic violence, short shrift for families of National Guard and Reserve members, inadequate support for spouses and children of wounded and traumatized soldiers." [AFP, 11/10/08. Veterans for America, 4/4/08. Veterans for America, 7/9/08.  AP, 7/19/08.]

Broad and comprehensive screening is needed to treat every veteran suffering from PTSD and TBI without stigma.  The military's top uniformed officer, Admiral Michael Mullen, has called "for all returning combat troops, from privates to generals, to undergo screening for post-traumatic stress with a mental health professional, a move aimed at stemming an epidemic of psychological issues among veterans."   Mullen said, "I'm at a point where I believe we have to give a (mental health) screening to everybody to help remove the stigma of raising your hand.  Leaders must lead on this issue or it will affect us dramatically down the road."  According to a RAND Corporation report from earlier this year, "Nearly 20 percent of military service members who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan - 300,000 in all - report symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder or major depression, yet only slightly more than half have sought treatment."  Elizabeth Clark, head of the National Association of Social Workers said that, "the growing number of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan facing mental disorders represents a 'national crisis.'"  [USA Today, 10/13/08. RAND, 4/17/08. AFP, 10/11/08.]