Response for a Disabled Veteran in the Family From Academy of Political Science

When most people think about soldiers returning from war they often assume that they are married. This is a common misconception and the truth of the matter is that just as many veterans are unmarried. The essay does a wonderful job at distinguishing between the two and dedicates in entire section to the unmarried veteran. Being an unmarried veteran myself this section of the text seemed to ring true. A disabled veteran returning to his parents often finds himself in a situation that cannot be good. The parents end up treating him in exactly the same way as before he left and think that it is the same person returning. This will eventually lead to the disabled veteran rebelling against his parent in an effort to establish his individuality. In my own experience at returning home from a war zone, it will actually cause your parents to treat you even more like a child, which makes it feel like you have lost some of your individualism.

The article places a strong emphasis on economic problems by stating, “Economic adjustment is of importance not only from the standpoint of financial independence and security, but also from that of the psychological effects upon the individual of feeling that he is able to work again or retrain for a new job.” This issue is even more important today because of the economic problems our nation is facing. A soldier may find it difficult to adapt to his disability and is going to have a hard time finding work. If he is unable to find work in order to support his family it will cause an abundance of psychological problems that could eventually end in the marriage ending. The most likely result of this would be a role reversal, causing the wife to be the primary earner in the household while the veteran stays at home with the kids. If this happens it could make the soldier feel as if his masculinity is being challenged and that would only cause additional problems.

As a disabled veteran myself, many of the issues presented in this essay hit the nail right on the head. Even in the sixty years since this essay was written our returning soldiers still don’t know how to deal with these problems. It is imperative that a stronger emphasis on educating them on these issues and letting people know what type of problems he will face. President Abraham Lincoln knew this better then most when during his second inaugural address he said, “to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.”