Weekly Newsletter
Weekly Newsletter: The brave men and women who serve in the Armed Forces provide a service to the nation that is unsurpassed. They make tremendous sacrifices, even putting their lives on the line to protect the nation’s borders.
These selfless men and women often leave their families behind for long periods of time, missing out on the birth of children, watching them grow, birthdays, the first day of school; things most of us take for granted. Although many families travel around the world with their service member spouses, often deployment means being stationed where safety is an issue and families must be left behind.
As the world has changed and continues to change, and opportunities in the military are extended to both men and women, children are often found without either parent left to be raised by grandparents and other relatives. The commitment and sacrifice these parents make are indescribable.
Taking care of Vets when they return home is often a lengthy  legislative discussion of cost and affordability. A discussion may be warranted just to determine program implementation, but that should be about the extent of the discussion. Whether to promote the programs should never be a point of contention. Men and Women who wear the uniform of the various branches of the U.S. military should be welcomed home and honored as heroes both in war time and in times of peace.
There has been a lot of noise about Vets not getting the health care services they so desperately need and amplified in recent months. This is news that should merely be an aberration and not an everyday struggle for Vets and their families. Vets should not be without appropriate and timely health care, including mental health services. Vets should not be homeless or jobless. They should not have to beg and wait and wait for benefits to be approved. When these individuals went into the military and signed on the dotted-line, their signature said ….”I submit to lay down my life for my country. I sacrifice all to protect not only my family, but those I don’t know and will never know because simply put, they reside within the borders of the nation I love and have sworn to protect.
To a nation where such an ultimate sacrifice has been made, how can we in earnest deny any of our Vets and their families anything short of a respectable life with the resources to assure such a status. We hear many negative things about services to Vets. I had the opportunity a few years back to participate in a study for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). I had the privilege of meeting with the head of a VA hospital in Atlanta, Georgia – Mr. James Clark. I take the liberty of using his name because it is my opinion that managers who get it, should be celebrated and applauded.
Mr. Clark knew what service delivery was and what excellence in service delivery meant to Vets and their families. He knew a thing or two about succession planning and the importance of diversity and inclusion that covers the wide-expanse of America’s multi-faceted quilt. As I left his office and was given a tour of the hospital, I was struck by what was undeniably and visibly at every conceivable exit of the hospital’s complex – a statement that read something like this —–Please do not exit this building before letting us know how we are doing in providing you the best service possible and how we can do it better?
I haven’t seen him since my visit, but I did call him a couple of years after and he graciously took my call. I wanted to ask if he might speak to a young woman who had a future interest in heading up a VA hospital. I could not think of a better mentor than Mr. Clark. He probably never knew I had such high regards for him.
To the men and women who wear and have worn the uniform of the United States military, those still with us and the fallen, we salute you. We celebrate you and honor you for your service. We thank you for your sacrifice. We stand with you in your fight to be recognized as America’s heroes deserving of all you need and all this great nation has to give. This concludes our weekly newsletter.
P. S. Always Remember to Share What You Know.
Dianna Tafazoli
