From the Ravalli Republic article by Will Moss:
"For as long as soldiers have fought and died for their country, the idea of war has been romanticized.
We see it in movies, on the television and in the video games that our children play for hours on end.
The concepts of patriotism, sacrifice, honor and bravery are heralded, and for good reason - the men and women of all races and creeds who have fought for the ideals and convictions of their people are indeed deserving of every honor bestowed.
But, perhaps, one of the problems with this idealization is that it often extends only to the borders of the theater in which our soldiers fight; what honors pass beyond those borders are many times reserved for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in exchanging their lives for liberty.
But what about those who remain?
The effects of war never fully recede from those who have experienced it and the wounds, both physical and mental, can remain tender to the touch for a lifetime.
Through government agencies like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, there are resources that vets can utilize to help deal with the difficult effects of war. But, like any bureaucracy, those channels can often be difficult to navigate and strewn with red tape and piles of paperwork. It can be enough to discourage even the most deserving soldier from pursuing the health benefits and services which are owed to them.
That’s where local organizations like the Valley Veterans Service Center in Hamilton work to pick up the reigns in helping veterans navigate the government gauntlet." (cont.)
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