Where do we go from here?

Far too often we see headlines in print, TV coverage, or online postings about some other aspect of our failure to support our veterans, or to meet our obligations to those who served. USA Today reported this morning:

“The VA has 133 nursing homes across the country that serve 46,000 veterans annually.

Newly released VA data show that 95 of them – about 71 percent – scored worse than private nursing homes on a majority of quality indicators, such as rates of infection, serious pain and bed sores.

Roughly the same number, 93, received only one or two stars out of five for quality in the agency’s own ratings.”

The USA Today headline: “‘Nothing short of horrifying:’ Veterans' groups demand fixes at VA nursing homes”

(https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/11/19/va-nursing-homes-veteran-groups-want-fixes-after-horrifying-reports-trump-administration-congress/2018781002/)

We are spending more and more money on a rapidly shrinking population of veterans, and apparently are not improving in many or any valid metrics of service and care. We just observed the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, which we now use to honor our veterans.

Perhaps we would do well to really care for our veterans and really honor their service. We owe them that.