Editorial: Brodeur Intern Shares Thoughts on Veterans

This week I asked my intern Rachel Fracasso to share her thoughts and experiences with veterans. She did a great job. – Paul Brodeur

Three years ago, I joined a club at the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School called Operation Thank You. Operation Thank You was the second installment in an annual trip to bring veterans on a trip to see their dedicated memorial, and that year, the trip was focused on Vietnam veterans, bringing them to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C.

On this trip, I met several wonderful veterans who live in our community, which made me eager to find ways to thank veterans back at home.

From my involvement with Operation Thank You and now with the Melrose Veterans Memory Project at Melrose High School, I have learned a lot about how to show our veterans that we care as well as give back to them, thanking them for their service.

Coming home from war can be hard for veterans, and they all deserve to be welcomed with a thankful attitude. Many Vietnam veterans were not given the proper welcome home 40 years ago, so when we returned home from our Operation Thank You trip, each veteran was personally welcomed home.

Here in Melrose, community members can nominate a veteran they know to have their name displayed on the welcome home banner outside of City Hall.

The transition to civilian life poses a higher risk for veterans to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Thirty-one percent of Vietnam veterans suffer from PTSD and about 11 percent of veterans from Afghanistan do. Studies have shown that forty-one percent of veterans have been diagnosed with a mental health or behavioral adjustment disorder, according to a study done but the VA healthcare system. Veterans may also use substances as a way to cope with their feelings after leaving war, and it is estimated that nearly 50,000 veterans are homeless every night. In the United States, there are over 21 million veterans, ten percent of which are women. In Massachusetts there are nearly 400,000 veterans, and almost eight percent of those are women. Melrose holds 1,461 men and women who have served our country.

There are many ways that our community can help our veterans and make them feel welcomed at home again, and to show them how much their service is appreciated. It is important as a community to connect with our veterans. Through the events that Melrose has hosted for its veterans, I have personally seen our service members show how enormously thankful they are for how we have displayed our gratitude towards them. Showing thanks can be as simple as listening to their stories, nominating them to be saluted at one of many possible places in Melrose where a flag would be flown in their honor, helping to place flags at memorials honoring veterans during Memorial Day or Veterans Day.

Melrose also has a Veteran Relief Fund, where community members can donate and help support low income veterans. Veterans are also appreciative when their holidays are celebrated, and here in Melrose, both Veterans Day and Memorial Day have their own ceremonies where community members remember all that our service members have done for our country, as well as take the time to appreciate the veterans who have joined in with the remembrance. There are several volunteer opportunities which involve veterans during these times.

During these holidays as well as during the holiday season, Melrose Veterans Memory Project sends cards to veterans overseas to show those who are not with us that they are enormously appreciated. There are countless numbers of programs that anyone can participate in to help become involved in the veteran community. Donating toiletries is extremely helpful to those who are actively on duty. Also, there are many pen pal programs where community members can act as a companion to a veteran and listen to their stories. Even talking to a veteran and listening to what they have to say can mean the world to them. I encourage our community to look out for our veterans and volunteer even a little bit of time to give back and show thanks. By seeing how much veterans appreciate what their communities do for them may inspire you to get more involved with the veterans in your community. I know that from my own experience, it is very rewarding seeing the joy in the veterans when you donate time to helping their cause and making them feel appreciated.