Kevin E. Foley of Philipstown.info has written a thoughtful piece about Veterans Day that features Time Now and some of my own reflections on how the nation remembers its veterans. Thanks, Kevin, and let me know what you think, everybody.
“Every Day is Veterans Day”: Time Now in the News
Time Now: The Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in Art, Film, and Literature 
Peter,
Indeed, every day is veterans day if you’re a vet, or aware of veterans issues. But as this article points out, the average American is not informed or, perhaps, even interested. How many readers of war literature know that the number of US veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless has more than doubled in the past 2 years (VA)? Or that at least 20 veterans commit or attempt suicide every day (The Soldiers Project)? Such knowledge forces us from the comfort of “support the troops” superficiality, and awareness brings the discomfort of accountability. Here’s to the powerful and engaging expressions of artists, veteran and non-veteran, who call our attention to what’s been neglected for far too long. Thank you for synthesizing and disseminating contemporary and classic messages.
~Susan
Well thank you, Susan. I don’t bring those figures you mention to the forefront of my blog, but I definitely have them in my mind as I write. A while back I wrote on Daniel Somers, an Arizona vet-musician who took his life. Here is a link to a Washington Post article on Somers that also describes the problems many vets have obtaining care.
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-08-23/politics/41440993_1_veterans-affairs-ptsd-veterans-and-troops