As approximately 35,000 undergraduate and graduate students trudge through the second half of the fall semester, perhaps more than a few will take notice of several planned events this week leading up to Veterans Day. From a panel this afternoon and a movie screening tomorrow to an ice cream social and free breakfast for veterans, the university is hosting numerous events to mark the holiday, culminating in a celebration and reception Friday afternoon at Memorial Chapel.
After President Barack Obama’s recent announcement that all U.S. troops will be withdrawn from Iraq by year’s end — bringing to a close one of the country’s longest wars — Veterans Day carries with it a special significance for the 800 or so student veterans at the university. Then again, maybe it doesn’t: It’s hard to say, really, because there’s a huge gap between those who have served and those who haven’t — both here and across the country. That needs to change.
Last month, which marked the 10-year anniversary of the war in Afghanistan, Pew Research released a study on the growing gulf between the military and civilians. About 2.2 million have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. That’s a big number, but put into perspective, it means no more than one half of 1 percent of the population has served on active duty at any given time since 9/11 — which pales in comparison to the 9 percent who served at the height of World War II. More than 90 percent of the general public is proud of those who have served, but about 70 percent of those polled acknowledged that the general public doesn’t really understand the problems facing those in the military.
It’s an issue this school isn’t immune to. A handful of university student veterans and non-veterans were interviewed for a PBS NewsHour segment last month exploring the gap between the two groups. One veteran described difficulty relating to his fellow classmates: “I was so happy and motivated to be here, and they were just, you know, crying about having to wake up for an 8 a.m. class. And I was like, pumped to go to an 8 a.m. class and glad I wasn’t waking up before the sun rose, you know?” Another addressed the lack of communication about his service, saying: “As for my teachers, fellow peers, I don’t really talk about what I have done, what I — just, yes, I was in the service, and that’s it. They don’t really ask any questions.”
It’s a difficult issue for everyone. Non-veterans, perhaps cognizant of reports that about one in five service members return from deployment with symptoms of depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, avoid the difficult topic and instead rely on the standard, “Thank you for your service.” Veterans, perhaps reluctant to deal with the connotations of combat experience, sometimes avoid self-identification in favor of anonymity.
But as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down, people at this university and across the country need to do more to bridge the gap between the general public and current and former members of the military. We’re going to be paying the cost of war for a long time — one Harvard scholar estimates the total cost of health care and disability payments from the current wars will total around $1 trillion over the next 40 years — and the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs recently estimated that one veteran attempts suicide every 80 minutes. The least students can do is try to figure out what their veteran cohorts have been through.
This week they will get that opportunity. Today’s event features three veterans who have experienced homelessness. Friday’s service will include speeches by faculty and student veterans, and tomorrow at 5 p.m., a screening of the Afghanistan war documentary Restrepo will be held at Hoff Theater. Attendees can take part in a discussion after the screening about the movie’s realistic portrayal of war and hear from veterans of combat in Afghanistan. It will be a great opportunity to ask questions, the sort that may seem awkward in a classroom, but are nonetheless substantial. Even if you aren’t part of the one half of 1 percent who bore the risk of our wars, it’s important to understand those who did. Only then can we begin to shrink the divide between those who serve — and those they serve to protect.
