This Friday is Veteran's Day, 11-11-11. There will be parades and ceremonies and some restaurants will be offering free meals to veterans. Maybe this cool looking date, 11-11-11, will spur more than the usual attention and lead to a greater appreciation of their sacrifices.
Since 1973 when the military draft ended, the youth of America has not had to delay getting on with their future by spending two years in the military. The all volunteer military has met our war related challenges. The strain, however, has become apparent in the last few years due to multiple tours of duty in combat areas. In addition to death and dismemberment, cases of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have risen dramatically.
If you ask anyone if they support the troops, it's highly likely that 99% will say yes. If you were able to see how many gave more than lip service, the percentage would most likely be a lot lower. Granted there are many in these hard economic times who are unable to contribute financially and then there are those who have volunteered their time to help disabled veterans. It's certainly possible that the thought of giving to an organization supporting disabled veterans just hasn't occurred to many of our citizens. Maybe 11-11-11 will be a wake-up call to giving.
Here are two of the best known organizations you can contribute to:
Disabled American Veterans - www.dav.org
Wounded Warrior Project - www.woundedwarriorproject.org
Before giving to any organization claiming to aid veterans (or any other charity), you should check them out on Give.org to make sure they're legitimate. To be accredited by the BBB (Better Business Bureau), a charity has to meet 20 standards for charity accountability. The Disabled American Veterans and Wounded Warrior Project have met these standards.
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