How Do We Honor Those Who Protect Us?

My VIPs for this week are all the men and women who served in the military forces of America at any time. Many of them made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives in service to their nation. Many of them returned home badly injured physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Even for the healthy men and women warriors, returning to civilian life is extremely challenging, according to veteran Jim Lorraine, president of America’s Warrior Partnership. “What you have to understand, when you move from the military back into the civilian world, you’re really not just changing a job, you’re changing a culture.” Virginia Allen at The Daily Signal interviewed Lorraine and shared the following: 

America’s Warrior Partnership works to build relationships with veterans and provide them with the tools and support they need to succeed after their military service. The veteran organization uses a four-step plan to connect, educate, advocate, and collaborate with veterans and prevent veteran suicide.

Unfortunately, Lorraine says, “there’s people around you who have served in the military, especially Vietnam-era veterans, who didn’t have a good reception when they came home and ow is the time to give them a good reception when they come home and make sure that they’re taken care of too.”

Lorraine shared his journey back into civilian life with Allen in “The Daily Signal Podcast.” He served more than 20 years in the military. He also explained how America’s Warrior Partnership is working to prevent veteran suicide.