Did you know that Veteran’s Day actually started out as
Armistice Day? The day recognized the ending of World War I fighting at 11 a.m.
on Nov. 11, 1918, and Congress recognized it as a national holiday in 1926.
Congress proposed changing the word Armistice to the word Veterans after World
War II, and President Eisenhower signed the bill approving the change in 1954.
Now, each year Veteran’s Day is an opportunity to honor and
recognize our nation’s veterans, for their hard work, their sacrifices, and
their devotion to the military and the United States.
I mentioned several entries ago that I am only just
beginning to learn about veteran and military culture. In recognition of this
week’s holiday, let me give you a little bit of the information I have already
learned.
The projected veteran population from the Department of Veterans
Affairs as of 9/30/2010 is 22,658,000, and 28 percent of all deaths in the
United States are veteran deaths.
Last week, the Tucson community had the opportunity to
listen to Deborah Grassman, a respected hospice nurse with 30 years of
experience with a VA hospice in Florida. She wrote a book, Peace At Last: Stories of Hope and Healing for Veterans and their
Families, and shared the experience and knowledge she’s gained in working
with veterans at the end of life. Her presentation helps hospice professionals
understand the varied perspectives veterans have, and in understanding how the
war experience can help shape a veteran’s end of life journey.
Within hospice, we’re seeing a lot of World War II veterans,
as well as some Korean and Vietnam War veterans. Each war era left unique
effects on its veterans. For example, World War II veterans were celebrated for
their efforts. They are also at risk for infectious diseases, suffered
frostbite, and were exposed to nuclear weapons. However, this was not the case
for the soldiers who served in the Vietnam War. These veterans experienced a
very negative atmosphere when they returned home, and many talk of the solitude
of being a soldier in the Vietnam War. As a result, these veterans often suffer
from significant mental health and substance abuse issues.
These are just a couple examples of veteran experiences, and
it should be noted that not every veteran suffers from these post-war issues. Grassman
defines three possible trajectories for veterans after a war: successful
integration, apparent integration, and not integrated. As professionals, we
need to tread carefully to discover the trajectory that our patients are on. We
need to continue to educate ourselves about this unique patient population, and
strive to give them the good death each person deserves.
If you have the opportunity this week, if you know a veteran
or just bump into one at the store, remember to say thank you for your service.
By Carrie Bui, Communications Specialist
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