Veterans Tell Their Story

Recently, iReport, a user generated news service, asked the public what would happen if "veterans had a stronger voice?" To that end, they challenged their readers to go out and interview veterans then post their stories online. Today, CNN picked up some of those video interviews and re-posted them online. There are common themes among the veteran stories like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), unemployment and lack of sufficient health care benefits. The interviews are primarily with veterans under 35, from the Iraq and Afghanistan war.

As I watched the videos, I thought about what we are trying to do at Intersections with our veteran/civilian dialogues. Each of the veterans talked about feeling isolated or alone in their struggles. Yet many of the issues they worried about, like finding a job in today’s economy or not being able to afford health care, are also felt by many civilians. I am hopeful that in time, veterans and civilians will meet each other at the intersection where issues and humanity meet and move forward in true solidarity.