"Military Action" Heroes

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Today is Veterans Day. This day always makes me a bit sad. It always is about W.W. II veterans and not very much about Vietnam veterans. Don't get me wrong. My home country, Germany, would have had a very different history, had American soldiers not fought so bravely to liberate us from a dictator. I guess it is always easier to be proud of soldiers who actually affect the course of history so positively. The poor young men who were sent to Vietnam obviously did not accomlish any such tangible feat. America should not have been in Vietnam in the first place. A small "Military Action" got out of hand and politicians were too thick-headed to admit failure. So it dragged on and on.........
The "Military Action" in Iraq feels very much the same. So pardon me for asking: Will Iraq veterans get the same thanks as our WWII veterans or will their mission be noted in the history books as an exercise in futility?
And why do we even make a difference in how we treat veterans. After all, its not a soldier's fault which war he has to fight. So lets say thanks to all of them. Thanks, Danke, Merci


Some sad statistics about veterans.
"The Forgotten Americans-Homelessness: Programs and the People They Serve" -- released Dec. 8, 1999, by the Interagency Council on the Homeless -- is the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (NSHAPC), which was completed in 1996 and updated three years later. You can visit www.huduser.org and download the NSHAPC reports from there.
Veteran Specific Highlights:
23% of homeless population are veterans
33% of male homeless population are veterans
47% Vietnam Era
17% post Vietnam
15% pre Vietnam
67% served three or more years
33% stationed in war zone
25% have used VA Homeless Services
85% completed high school/GED compared to 56% of non-veterans
89% received Honorable Discharge
79% reside in central cities
16% reside in suburban areas
5% reside in rural areas
76% experience alcohol, drug, or mental health problems
46% white males compared to 34% non-veterans
46% age 45 or older compared to 20% non-veterans
Service needs:
45% help finding job
37% finding housin