Veterans Day on Nov. 11 is a time to honor those who have sacrificed their lives for our country and our freedoms.
But it’s also a good time to remember and to honor all who have served this nation: wounded veterans, those who served but were not wounded, the millions of family members of soldiers and, last but not least, the many caregivers who often go unrecognized and unsung. They, too, are heroes who have made many sacrifices.
Soldiers working in a non-combat zone are vital to the overall organization of any branch of military service. They are vital cogs in the wheel because they work to make soldiers in danger zones well-equipped and as safe as possible. They, too, deserve kudos.
With an all-volunteer military service, many soldiers (men and women) are serving multiple deployments, often in the most dangerous areas of the world. Unlike many other wars, when young men were drafted, the solders in this day and age tend to be older, with the average age in their mid-30s. As a result, many of those soldiers are married, with children. Husbands and wives, mothers and fathers have to leave families behind, in some cases multiple times, so they can serve their country so far from home. Imagine the anguish and sacrifices those spouses and the children make, having to adjust to a life without that husband or that wife being there for them. Imagine the worries they endure, dreading their loved ones far away might come home wounded – or not at all. Those families deserve our highest gratitude and praise. Thank them and help them every chance you get.
And last but never least are the caregivers for returning veterans. We keep hearing about scandals in the Veterans Administration’s hospitals, and some are indeed scandalous, like the long waits for some veterans desperately in need of immediate care. However, in spite of those terrible lapses in care, which must be remedied, there are so many success stories thanks to the hard work of so many excellent caregivers who make their own kinds of sacrifices to care for veterans who have physical wounds and sometimes mental wounds, too. Those success stories, helping veterans recover and re-adjust to civilian life, often go unreported, out of sight, out of mind.
To be sure, there is much work to be done, and more time and money must be spent on behalf of all veterans, but we should not forget the heroic doctors, nurses, medical aides, psychologists, counselors and others who dedicate their lives to helping veterans. One such caregiver is Phil Ringstrom of Sartell, a clinical nurse who has worked for years with veterans and helped create programs of great value for them. Another caregiver is LeRoy Kieke of Sauk Rapids, a Vietnam veteran who works tirelessly on behalf of veterans. Yet another is Jim Hovda of Rice, who also served in Vietnam and who frequently speaks up and acts on behalf of veterans everywhere. And then there is Ken Hiemenz, former mayor of St. Joseph, who has long been a champion of veterans and their causes.
Those are just some of the people who are caregivers locally. There are many, many of them in our local area. When you meet them, when you see them, be sure to thank them the same way you thank the veterans.
