The World War Two Veterans
by
Russell R Ellis
That said the WW2 Vets had the first GI bill called, the 52-20 club. It gave those who went to school $20.00 a week for 52 weeks. The Serviceman's Readjustment Act of 1944, also known as the G.I. Bill, was a law that provided a range of benefits for returning World War II veterans. In reality, it was given because the women took over the jobs men once did, so the government needed time to find jobs for the men to get them into the workforce. Most used it to go back to school to learn a new occupation.
Like most things, it was deceptive. You see, the government promised the men there jobs would be waiting for them when they returned, without telling the women they would have to give up the jobs, when the men came back, it seems the government never looks that far ahead. of course those who had the jobs, thought it was a benefit to those who fought, yet there sacrifice taking those jobs were not rewarded.
But this isn't new, no, you see after a confrontation by WWI Veterans 1932 protesting veterans bonuses, causing the Commanding officer of many of them, Gen Paton, to lead troops against them, causing a lasting trust issue with the nations vets who organized into clubs and got benefits for veterans.
Even causing the new WWII Veterans of the future to get involved, making sure they got a signed agreement with the recruits when they signed up, promising them benefits in exchange for the service, supplementing there low pay wage. The government new it would be the only way to get men to fight for there country, as the trust vets once had from there Government was gone.
Not long after, the patriotism ended with the Vietnam war, when the draft ended and the all Voluntary military was begun. Now troops could quit, when the job got ruff, and with no Draft the government had to cheat, and use the State National Guard units to get troops. So we became a mercenary army loyal to no one, like Rome when it fell as there mercenary army ran when they were attacked. Unlike us Vietnam Veterans, who became outsiders hiding from our own corrupt nation and the new leaders who were the protester of the war we fought, we never got to involved in protecting right of other Veterans as we became devided because of politics of that time, with vets against the war and Vets doing what they had to do, so we were unable to unit and become one team like the WWI and WWII Veterans.
Now Mental health back then wasn't much more then being locked up if you were insane, back then. Like other social programs, every program was set up to benefit business, not just the Vets health care or benefits. Like food stamps were created to allow stores to be able to sell thing many in there community couldn't afford. many grocery stores survived because of the food stamp program. Now look at the fancy VA hospitals, all those gardens, statues, buildings, were built be the private sector and probable cost three times more money then, for building the same thing in the private sector. More money goes into building the fancy infrastructure, then goes into the care of our Veterans.
Now those of us who grew up with war vets with mental health problems, know it was not peaches and cream. Abuse, not just child abuse was far worse then today, and yet today its is bad because these people can't get the help they need because of the fear factor caused by law's that makes there problems like sexual abuse illegal, so they will not go for the help they need. I remember times long ago when things got out of hand, and wonder how we ever survived those times. But we never blamed our dad, it was the war and the lack of mental help that caused it all. But like my sisters and brothers I know he did the best he could with what help he had, but suffered from the day he got home because he was a disabled Veteran, not just mentally, but his liver was shot, over five years in the Jungles off Guadalcanal, then Burma, he came home called a walking dead man. I couldn't believe all the diseases he had, all listed on his discharge.
He died at a young age from cancer and told me "don't ever make the mistake I made because of politics, so many of my friends were against getting help from the VA, so I stayed away and you all suffered because of it." Yet the VA became the best in the world because of the WW2 vets, who formed veterans groups and fought the stigma, and who one day, did use it to get well. They showed the veterans how important they were, with even there restaurants that served food on the best plates, cups, and saucers they had and I remember how proud I was to take my family with me and eat there.
Now most serve food on paper plates because the foolish radicals cut so much out of the programs. I saw the VA crumble into nothing as the government shut down and the National Guards took the place of the workers, and destroyed records from neglect or because the nuts had the power to do so.
My records were so messed up that I never did get them repaired. What happened to the VA began after the Vietnam war when everyone became political and the fighting between the two political parties caused Veterans to be against Veterans, and that split the VA support, giving power to those who wanted to get rid of it.
We will always have evil people who enjoy hurting others, more-so today then ever before. I had hope the Veterans of these last two wars would get together and think of each other as the old vets of WW2 once did, but it is as bad perhaps even more so now. So I have nothing but respect for the World WarII vets who gave us all this, even though they were from different political parties, there fellow Vets came first, perhaps they suffered so much fighting that war that they bonded. Today its like the protesters of the Vietnam war are in charge of the VA, not the Vets.
