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Drought
Americans Show New Awareness of the
Need to Take Better Care of Our Troops.

I
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eterans Day is November 11—a time to remember not only all men and women who previously served in the military, but those currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and at military bases around the world.

A veteran is someone who has served in the U.S. military. There are about 25 million U.S. veterans living today. An estimated 160,000 U.S. troops are currently serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 2003, about 28,000 of those service members have been wounded. Many of have severe physical and psychological problems and can no longer serve. Posttraumatic stress disorder is one very common condition.

The U.S. government is supposed to help these injured veterans. The law says that veterans should receive free health care services for a period after they return home. But during the past year, the public has learned of a crisis concerning veterans’ care.

Injured veterans have had to wait months to be treated. Many veterans have not gotten the money that the government reserved for their care. Red tape in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has caused the delays.

History of
Veterans Day
Veteran’s Day used to be known as Armistice Day. In 1919, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson established Armistice Day to commemorate the end of World War 1 (1914-1918). The U.S. Congress declared the day Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all men and women who served in the U.S. military.

There have been many problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Last spring, a congressional committee investigated conditions at the hospital. The committee found that many veterans weren’t receiving good care and that there was not enough medical staff to care for the soldiers.

President George W. Bush has apologized for the problems these veterans have faced. Recently, Bush chose a new leader for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, retired Army Gen. James Peake. He spent his career as an Army doctor and is a veteran of the Vietnam War. The U.S. Senate must approve Peake before he gets the job.

It will take some time for the nation to fix all these problems. For now, groups like the Veterans of Foreign Wars want Americans to thank the veterans.

“We owe an eternal debt of gratitude to them. Veterans Day is the time that debt comes due,” said George Lisicki, the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign War.


  • Think about writing a letter to a wounded soldier. What would you want to tell him or her?




  • Find puzzles and games about Veterans Day here.

  • Send an e-card to thank a veteran.

  • Discover ways to celebrate Veterans Day here.


    See if you can unscramble all four jigsaw puzzles!


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