This past political season may have been one of the most contentious in recent memory. Many of the issues that were debated over primarily focused on our struggling economy; these issues are truly important while we as a nation are still struggling to climb out of a recession. One of the issues that neither party talked about, is the issue of veterans returning to civilian life from the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Most veterans returning from these wars are able to assimilate into everyday pedestrian American society, but for many of these service members, returning is a struggle. A statistic recently posted by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America states that since 9/11, more than 3,000 soldiers have committed suicide.

This is a problem that affects not only service members and their families, but also the communities they return to. In this era of fiscal conservatism, funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs and the services that it provides is often cut. The service members that gave of themselves often return to a life and society that is unable to sustain their needs. Services for veterans are not a handout; they were earned by the men and women who served and risked their lives for this country. In this season of giving, please remember veterans and their families, and encourage your local representatives to support the VA.

Jason Abbott

Bellingham