The president just took a question on unemployment among veterans during his online town hall meeting. The full transcript and video should be available at the White House web site later today, but here are his comments on that issue:
"We wouldn't be here if it hadn't been for the sacrifices of earlier veterans. We would not enjoy the same safety and security and liberty that we do. So when our veterans come home from Iraq and Afghanistan -- and they have performed brilliantly; they have done everything that's asked of them, regardless what your views are on these wars -- they have earned these benefits that all too often we've failed to give them.
"That's why in my budget we are increasing veterans funding by more than any time in the last 30 years. We're going to make sure that we deal with the backlog that too many veterans experience in terms of getting benefits, we're going to make sure that homeless veterans are receiving housing and services. The homeless rate for veterans is multiple time higher than it is for non-veterans. That's inexcusable.
"It means we're going to provide services for post-traumatic stress disorder, that we're going to provide services for traumatic brain injury -- the signature injuries of these recent wars. We are going to significantly increase veterans spending.
"Just as is true generally, government alone can't do it. So all of us individually are going to have roles. If you're a business owner, hiring a veteran, not discriminating against someone who is a veteran, is going to be absolutely critical. In your communities, in your churches, in your neighborhoods, making sure there is outreach and celebration of veterans when they come home, that's going to be critical.
"I think we did a much better job in these wars than we did in Vietnam, where in many cases our treatment of veterans was inexcusable. But we can always do more. Government is going to do it's role. Now we have to make sure our communities do their role as well."
Doing more for Veterans
Good for you President Obama, its about time the government and the people faced the problems of veterans. For too many years through too many wars and even in peace time the problems of veterans have been swept under the rug. We use them up and than throw them away until they are needed again. Men and Women who have given of themselves many many years of military service whitout question and than when it is time for them themselves to seek help, it is who are you? More times than not veterans go to veterans hospitals and wait and wait and wait and nothing is done. Years and years after an injury not unlike agent orange in Vietnam after numerous veterans have passed on than our goverment decides hey these people need help but so many of them have already past. Veterans need help now, not years from now. When it was time for veterans to go to war, they went when they were needed they didn't wait until it was too late, they went now and they need to be treated now for injuries received now. Thank you President Obama for being the only President to do something during your first term other than only doing things that will get you elected for a second term. Too many Presidents in the past only do things in their first term that make them look good and than in their second term they start to do the things that should have been done in their first. Although being elected for a second term I am sure is on your mind, the people of this county seem to be first and foremost, thank you from a Veteran.
Veterans are owed much more
I agree with retired marine, it is high time we take care of our veterans. We literally owe them the world, if it wasn't for them our country and world would be very different. Each veteran, specifically those who have served in harms way should be taken care of, no matter what. Find the money from somewhere and use it for good. If you need a place to take it from, take it from foreign aid and finally fix our problems at home.