Reaching Out To Needy Vets

October 23, 2009 — Recently a social worker at a local nursing home contacted the commander of my VFW Post asking if any Post member might be willing to come talk with several wheelchair bound vets residing at her facility. She explained that these guys were lonely and in need of contact with someone that understood their military past and could share experiences with them. When the Post Commander announced this need to our membership I immediately thought back to what I had been telling myself and that is just why am I member of this great organization that professes to honor the dead by helping the living if I don't live that in my own life? I told the commander that I would be happy to go and talk with these gentleman and find out if there was anything we could do as a VFW Post to help improve their situation. Yesterday, accompanied by my niece, I made that visit.

Several things were readily apparent from my visit. First of all while these guys were wheelchair bound from strokes, they were both lucid and could articulate what their needs were and they were not many. They needed the kind of companionship and camaraderie our Post membership could provide. With Veterans Day approaching and the fact that our Post has an Open House on that day, I invited both vets to join me at the Post for the festivities and they both gladly accepted. One of the vets also stated he had been a member of the VFW previously in another town here in Texas. I asked if he was interested in being reinstated as a VFW member in our Post and his answer was yes. He seemed to be the most needy and wanting of the comradeship. The other vet wanted help with asking the VA to reevaluate his medical condition and what caused it because he did feel he was getting the proper disability previously awarded to him. Our Post has the resources and the know how of who to contact to help this vet in dealing with the VA.

On a very personal note I must confess that what I did yesterday in visiting these vets I would not have done 10 years ago. Back then I did not care so much. I am so glad I have grown past that. When I left the nursing home it was with a very good feeling that now I could live up to what I truly believe in and that is honoring the dead by helping the living. To be sure, I will do everything I can to help these vets. I will leave no stone unturned...it's what really matters!