Recently, a colleague informed me of the suicide of her 27 year-old nephew, a veteran of the war in Iraq.  I must say, I wasn’t shocked by the news itself; after all, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has been reporting for quite some time that 18 of us (meaning we, as in veterans) are committing suicide every day in America.  No, what caught my attention more was her reaction which came in the form of a commitment, a pledge, to get to know more about us.   I found her response difficult to understand at first because I just assumed folks know about us.  On reflection, I realized that our sacrifices - and those of our families – are really not well understood or appreciated.  Most folks have forgotten that we are a nation at war.  Most folks do not know us.

Since 2001, some 2.5 million young American men and women have volunteered to serve their country and place themselves knowingly into harm’s way.  Now while that sounds like a big number, that factor – 2.5 million – represents less than one-half of one percent of all Americans living freely in our Nation today.  It seems serving your country is not as popular as it once was.  In 1982 it never occurred to me that I was joining such an elite, highly-selective organization when I raised my right hand and swore an oath of allegiance to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.  Once a member, I knew I was serving alongside folks engaged in a profession, but at the outset, I thought I was just simply a guy willing to serve his Country, like so many others did before me.

So fast forward to today, Veterans Day 2011 and consider this dynamic of extremes in-play – less than one-half of one percent of us vs. 99.5+ percent of you.  The notion of getting to know us comes to my mind, does it come to yours?   Before I volunteered to serve I was one of you; I’ve since become one of us.  Ten solid years of war in Afghanistan and almost that much now in Iraq (as it comes to an overdue end) seems to have created a divide in understanding between us; how much do you really know aboutus, about me (meaning me, a veteran)? 

On this Veterans Day and for the year ahead, take the time not to “thank us for our service,” instead, get to know us.  We are not that different than you, we just volunteered to serve our country and cross the line of departure into harm’s way.

Colonel (Retired) James McDonough is the President and CEO of Veterans Outreach Center, INC. 

"The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or other decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land.  In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but Posts and comrades will, in their own way, arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit;"so read the first paragraph of General Order #11 penned by Maj. Gen John A. Logan, Commander-in-Chief, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) -- an organization of Union veterans -- on May 5, 1868, three years after the Civil War ended.

It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.

General Order #11 continued:

"We are organized, Comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose among other things, of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together the soldiers, sailors, and marines who united to suppress the late rebellion.  What can aid more to assure this result than by cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead?  We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance.  All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders.  Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners.  Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.

If other eyes grow dull, other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain in us.

Let us, then, at the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of springtime; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledge to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a Nation's gratitude -- the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan."

One can only wonder whether the phrase "and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers in springtime" led Colonel John McCrae, a surgeon with Canada's First Artillery Brigade in World War I to write the poem,

In Flanders Fields:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Reportedly, the poem expressed McCrae's grief over the "row on row" of graves of soldiers who had died on Flanders' battlefields, located in a region of western Belgium and northern France.  The poem presented a striking image of the bright red flowers blooming among the rows of white crosses and became a rallying cry to all who fought in the First World War.  According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, McCrae's poem had a huge impact on two women, Anna E. Guerin of France and Georgia native Moina Michael. Both worked hard to initiate the sale of artificial poppies to help orphans and others left destitute by the war. By the time Guerin established the first sale in the U.S., in 1920 with the help of The American Legion, the poppy was well known in the allied countries — America, Britain, France, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — as the "Flower of Remembrance."

Guerin had difficulty with the distribution of the poppies in early 1922 and sought out Michael for help. Michael had started a smaller-scaled Poppy Day during a YMCA conference she was attending in New York and wanted to use the poppies as a symbol of remembrance of the war. Guerin, called the "Poppy Lady of France" in her homeland, and Michael, later dubbed "The Poppy Princess" by the Georgia legislature, went to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) for help. Following its first nationwide distribution of poppies in 1922, the VFW adopted the poppy as its official memorial flower.

Donations received in return for these artificial poppies have helped countless veterans and their widows, widowers and orphans over the years. The poppy itself continues to serve as a perpetual tribute to those who have given their lives for the nation's freedom.

In 1966, Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y., the “birthplace” of Memorial Day. There, a ceremony on May 5, 1866, honored local veterans who had fought in the Civil War. Businesses closed and residents flew flags at half-staff. Supporters of Waterloo’s claim say earlier observances in other places were either informal not community-wide or one-time events.

By the end of the 19th century, Memorial Day ceremonies were being held on May 30 throughout the nation. State legislatures passed proclamations designating the day, and the Army and Navy adopted regulations for proper observance at their facilities.

It was not until after World War I, however, that the day was expanded to honor those who have died in all American wars. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress, though it is still often called Decoration Day.

So as we remember with pride and appreciation those who gave their life for America, we are well aware of the tens of thousands of our sons and daughters who are presently at war fighting an enemy blindly committed to destroying our cherished way of life and the freedom of others struggling to embrace liberty and justice; we remain proud of the selfless service and sacrifice of our citizens.

We honor our fallen heroes this Memorial Day and we find inspiration in the men and women who gave their life for the cause of liberty -- a cause for which generations of Americans have served. 

As of this Memorial Day, more than 430 New Yorkers have died in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in the war against terrorism; their names now added to the honor roll of patriots who willingly made the sacrifice in service to America.

Thank you.

Colonel (Retired) James McDonough  
 

Senator Ball and members of the Committee, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss the true cost of war and its impact on veterans and their families. The truth about caring for veterans and their families in this country is that for the vast majority, it’s a “luck of the draw” proposition, determined largely by one’s geographic location and proximity to advocacy and resources that defines success or failure as a veteran – some will draw the “card” needed at precisely the right time and place; others will not. Some veterans will get help, other veterans will not. The best we hope for is to find an advocate who can help teach us what it means to become a veteran of our armed forces. I say this confidently after serving twenty-six years in the active Army, becoming a veteran and serving the past three years as Director of New York State’s Division of Veterans’ Affairs.


The “true cost of war” in some part can be tracked by our country’s willingness to consent to sending young men and women into battle - if willing to “spend it all,” citizens, through their elected representatives, provide their consent in return for the understanding that the Nation will be behind each and every warrior and their family as they head into battle. The Nation will provide for their every need if the circumstances demand because we ask so much of each of them. This construct is fundamental to the American warrior, but is it shared by all in this country?


Some in this country believe there is a “Sea of Goodwill” behind the scenes working on behalf of veteran families to describe and characterize how America views its support toward our veterans and their families, including me and mine. Whether or not that phrase aptly captures the sentiment of America ten years into war in Afghanistan or eight years into war in Iraq, is largely a point I dare say many Americans have not paused to think of, let alone determined, given the state of national rhetoric underway regarding our fragile economy, health care reform measures and educational standing in this world.


As the leader of the nation’s oldest non-profit for veterans and their families, I question such claims that a galvanizing effort is underway in this country behind its veterans and their families. From my perspective, our citizenry is indeed supportive of sending young Americans into battle – we have their consent to do so, but little to nothing is understood about their actual needs upon returning from battle and reintegration back into the very community from which they departed. One reason for this is that our country lacks a coherent national strategy to not only go to war, but to come home and care for those who fought these wars as well. And like all wars, they’re easier to start than end, as we’re seeing daily in Afghanistan, Iraq and back in America in every state where our veterans and their families return to get on with their lives.


And while I believe that it’s in our country’s best interests to foster a “Sea of Goodwill” around caring for veterans and their families, only “ponds” and “lakes” currently exist in pockets across this country, unconnected by coordinating tributary, linking river or supporting stream.These separate and distinct efforts spring up daily but lack context, fit and perspective; often leaving veterans and their families only to receive a fraction of their earned benefits, access to healthcare and services to support their reintegration. There is no “Sea” in the “Sea of Goodwill,” only disjointed smaller bodies of water which serve a minority of our veterans and their families, and very poorly at that. So how do we improve upon that?


We should start by leveraging community-based, private sector providers to better care for veterans and their families. At the end of the day, we want barrier-free access to services and our families included to address the aftermath of war


On any given day in America, only about 36 percent of returning veterans actually use VA services, leaving 64 percent of returning veterans –and their families - somewhere outside the VA’s portfolio of services and benefits, and remember, these are benefits and services they’ve earned due to volunteer active service in the United States Armed Forces. So the first thing to reckon with in creating the conditions necessary for a “Sea of Goodwill” to exist across this country is that our system designed to care for veterans – the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (the “VA”) – must be more inclusive to capture a majority vs. minority of veterans.


To reach the 64 percent of returning veterans not using their services the VA must include community-based providers as part of a more coherent delivery network; private providers, supported by the VA and working alongside public providers, to deliver barrier- free and high quality veterans services, benefits and programs. The place to start is with our families since that’s where the VA is not charged with any responsibility, outside its Veteran Centers. To think for a moment that you can somehow effectively “treat” the veteran absent his/ her family, where residual damage and harm lingers, fails to understand one of the “true costs … of these wars,” namely that our families – spouses and children – have become casualties as well. Like other veteran families, my own is now different because of my service to my country, which is a dynamic unlike any other dynamic associated with fighting our Nation’s previous wars. So to understand the “true cost of war,” the system in place to care for veterans and their families must work to account for and include all of us who have served, and our families. How this country supports a system of care for a minority of veterans – at the expense of the majority – is something we all need to understand in order to advocate for change.


Vietnam was largely a young, single male experience. Afghanistan and Iraq is similar age-wise (young), but not exclusively the domain of single males anymore, for today women comprise between 15 and 17 percent of the active armed forces. Add to this demographic the fact that many service members are now married and with families of their own. So much that my Army talked of “recruiting” an individual soldier, but “reenlisting” a family, out of recognition that soldiers would serve again, despite the hardship endured, as long as they knew their family would be taken care - and they would be. But what happens when that family becomes the family of a veteran? Is the sense of caring the same? Unequivocally, I can tell you that the feeling of caring is not. When service members and their families separate from service one of the first things experienced is a sense of isolation from their community. I see it nearly every day as families visit us at Veterans Outreach Center in downtown Rochester (New York).


New York State remains the fifth most populous state in the country when it comes to its veteran population (and their families). Nearly one million veterans call New York State home. Almost 90,000 New Yorkers have served in Afghanistan, Iraq or both since September 11, 2001. If you accept that 36 percent of all returning veterans are actually using VA services and these rates are actually emblematic of broader VA usage rates, in New York State there are roughly 640,000 veterans accessing healthcare, benefits and services outside the system designed to support their needs. Add to this figure their families and you understand that most veterans are being cared for in a community setting. In our community-based counseling center at Veterans Outreach Center we see on average 53 new veterans and family members every month. Our housing services (emergency, transitional, supportive and independent) for homeless veterans operate at capacity (28 “units”) every month; we have a waiting list just to get in and you can “stay” with us for up to two years if need be. More than thirty percent of our census is comprised of veterans who have served in Afghanistan, Iraq or both, which brings me to my second major point:


The “true cost of these wars” must include the “sunk cost” of underwriting a troubled force


A 350-page report issued in July after a 15-month investigation into the Army’s rising suicide rate found that levels of illegal drug use and criminal activity have reached record highs, while the number of disciplinary actions and forced discharges were at record lows. The result, the Army found, is that “drug and alcohol abuse is a significant health problem in the Army.” Where the Army once rigidly enforced rules on drug use, it got sloppy in the rush to get soldiers ready for the battlefield. From 2001 to 2009, only 70 percent of DUIs and 61 percent of positive drug tests were referred to the Army’s substance abuse program, and drug testing became haphazard. In 2009, 78,517 soldiers went untested for illegal drugs. Statistically, the Army estimated that 1,311 offenders probably escaped detection. Where did they go? Said General Peter W. Chiarelli, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, “we’ve got kids that are going to have some behavioral health issues. The real hard part for us to determine, ‘OK, I am willing to help this kid, but how long can I help him?”


These troubled “kids” have since separated and are now veterans and are back in every community in this country. As I stated a moment ago, they make up more than thirty percent of the homeless veterans we serve every day in upstate New York. How much of the “Sea of Goodwill” even understands this fact? We do because we see it every day; another “lake” amongst other “lakes,” but certainly not within any “Sea of Goodwill” that America buys into when it provides Congress its consent to go to war.


Lastly, I encourage this Committee to consider the investment being made Congress and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs with its “Supportive Services for Veteran Families” (SSVF) competitive grant opportunity. This new funding opportunity will see the VA invest $50 million in community-based supportive services for veteran families in its first year; that figure will double to $100 million in year two, thus making the first time in a long time whereby the VA is investing its resources to serve that 64 percent factor I spoke of a moment ago.


I would be remiss if I didn’t also point out that geography plays a significant role in veterans accessing their earned benefits and health care. In this state, (like most others) geography tends to serve as more of a barrier than enabling factor in utilization rates of VA health care and benefits. The result of “geographic barriers” presents an unintended consequence of limiting access to veterans’ services and resources, thus placing communities and their resources in line for greater dependence, something we see every day. With this dynamic in play the VA has responded by asking communities to do more to serve veteran families – and is providing them with resources to support their request. The question this Committee should be exploring is “what is New York State doing to complement the good work of its federal partners in this endeavor?”


Civics informs us that the role of government is to invest in those who serve its constitutional purpose – to “…support and defend…” as the phrase goes. America’s veteran families – New York State’s veteran families – are relying on that investment to be carried out, and carried out well. If America paused for only a moment to count the true cost it just might not like the price tag associated with their consent. As a veteran, and now someone who cares for veterans and their families in a community setting, perhaps the cost of obtaining the Nation’s consent is the greatest cost to be calculated beforehand. I encourage this Committee to explore ways for New York State to involve its resources as the federal government is, to invest in greater community- based supportive services for veteran families.


Senator Ball and members of the Committee, I appreciate the opportunity to speak before you today. Thank you. This completes my statement. I am happy to answer any questions the Committee may have.

Happy Thanksgiving , everyone. I’m using this post to draw attention to our Nation’s recipients of the Purple Heart – did you know that right here in New York we are home to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor? Located in the Town of New Windsor, New York, (Hudson Valley, near West Point) the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is housed on the grounds of the New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site, where Officers met in the closing days of the Revolutionary War to review candidates for the Badge of Military Merit, the inspiration for today’s Purple Heart. Just sixty miles north of Manhattan and ten miles north of the United States Military Academy at West Point, the Cantonment was an extensive military post housing some 7,500 soldiers and 500 civilian dependents in the closing years of the Revolutionary War as well. In 1932, 138 veterans of World War I received some of the nation's first Purple Hearts on Temple Hill near the site of the "Temple of Virtue."

The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor commemorates the extraordinary sacrifices of America's servicemen and servicewomen who were killed or wounded in combat. The mission of the Hall of Honor is to collect and preserve the stories of Purple Heart recipients from all branches of service and across generations to ensure that all recipients are represented.

In light of this mission, the Hall of Honor is asking for your help. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is building a registry of Purple Heart recipients from all branches of service, all wars for which the Purple Heart was awarded, and from all across the nation. In order to verify receipt of the medal we request documentation. This can include a variety of materials including:

· The DD-214 or other discharge forms listing awards

· Medical forms

· A photograph of the back of the medal bearing the recipient's name

· Or other supporting materials

I encourage you to learn more about the mission of the Hall and its efforts to build a national registry of Purple Heart recipients. They need all our help. For more information, visit the Hall on-line at www.thepurpleheart.com.

Thank you for your support,

- Jim McDonough, President and CEO, Veterans Outreach Center, Inc.