A Different View from Darren Glaude
Veterans memorial a costly slap in the face to those who served
By Darren Glaude, Seminole County Watch columnist
Published May 8, 2005

Darren Glaude, Seminole County Watch columnist

This weekend, a group of veterans and others met in Orlando for the annual meeting of the National Gulf War Resource Center. 

The Center focuses on the plight of veterans who served in the Gulf War, seeking to bring attention to veterans' needs, medical and otherwise, that are being ignored. 

Not only are the needs ignored, they are also often denied by our government.  The same government in whose service these veterans were acting when their injuries befell them.

Several weeks ago, at its April 25 meeting, the Winter Springs City Commission approved an agreement between the City and the Winter Spring Rotary Club to construct a Veterans Memorial in the Winter Springs Town Center.

The City pledged to cover $50,000 of the projected $100,000 cost of the memorial if the Rotary Club is unable to meet all of the memorial's expenses.  In a best-case scenario, the Rotary will raise enough in donations to cover the entire expense.  The worst-case scenario has the City donating $50,000 of the costs.

In neighboring Longwood, plans have been underway for months to erect a 9/11 memorial in honor of public service employees, such as police officers and firemen.  A figure of $30,000 has been thrown around as its cost.

Perhaps ironically, perhaps not, news accounts are replete with stories of injured public service employees being denied benefits and compensation following injuries they have suffered in the line of duty.  Just as with our veterans.

Without downplaying the significance of memorials and monuments, it seems something is seriously amiss here. 

The worthy goal of honoring our veterans, our firefighters, policemen and other public service employees is being mocked by the erecting of ceremonial structures while ignoring the everyday needs that ensconce our veterans in battles that continue daily as a result of their public service.

The best way to honor our men and women in uniform is to keep faith with them.  The best way to do that is to recognize and accept that when we proudly send them off to war with pomp and circumstance, they often come home injured, alone and neglected.

Florida has one of the highest rates of homeless veterans in the nation.  That is symptomatic of the many obstacles our veterans face in returning to civilian life.  The obstacles often loom large enough when our returning soldiers are whole and intact, and become seemingly insurmountable when physical or mental injury are also involved.

We are never hesitant to give ceremonial support to our troops.  We tie ribbons to our automobiles' antennas, put bumper stickers on our cars, and place signs in our windows.

In reality, we are giving nothing but lip service.  We profess support and appreciation of our troops, and then label them as whiners and opportunists when they return home in need of help to make them whole again.

The Winter Springs City Commission and the Rotary Club may sincerely feel they are helping veterans by spending $100,000 on a monument in memorial to the service of our armed forces.  The stark reality may be that instead of serving our veterans, such actions only serve ourselves, giving us reassurance that we really do care.

Perhaps if we did, we would be pledging $100,000 towards lobbying efforts to gain for our veterans the services they truly need.  Or to serve the veterans in our area through economic assistance to help them get back on their feet.

Somehow, we balk at such spending. After all, the government does not owe anyone a free ride or a handout.  Yet we can spend six figures on a monument for those very same people and declare that their country has served them just as they served their country.

The prevailing attitude is that rhetoric and monuments are a serving tribute to those whose lives have been forever changed in their service to their country.  A different view holds that veterans are not asking for more than they deserve when they seek the same support and attention upon returning home as when they are sent off to war in the name of their country.

Several years ago, during a Memorial Day weekend broadcast, Garrison Keillor of A Prairie Home Companion  provided a poignant tribute in song to our veterans, reminding us of the need to truly support our veterans in deed and action rather than mere rhetoric.  Please take a listen, with the hope you are inspired to do more for our veterans than tie a ribbon to your antenna.

Email Darren at darrenglaude@seminolecountywatch.com