On 11/11/11, honor all of our veterans

On Friday, millions of Americans will honor our veterans for their service in the armed forces. In a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, a wreath will be laid at the Tomb of the Unknowns, servicemen and women will be introduced and lauded, and dignitaries will speak of those who have selflessly served our country. Similar scenarios will play out across the nation, with towns hosting their own ceremonies. The theme will be veterans’ love of country and their willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 the first commemoration of Armistice Day, the end of World War I, and in 1938, Armistice Day was declared a legal holiday and renamed Veterans Day. In 1954, the holiday was broadened to honor veterans of all wars.

The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, led us into our two latest wars, which have produced a whole new generation of veterans. The 25-year-old returning from his or her second tour of duty in Afghanistan or Iraq may not be as ready to share war stories as are our veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam, but because of the media and the Internet, we can see what’s happening on the front lines in real time. And we watch newscasts of soldiers and Marines coming home, sometimes surprising an unsuspecting wife, husband or child with an early, tearful return.

But what happens after that? What about their jobs, homes and relationships? Their children have grown, and their spouses have learned to live without them for long spans of time. And what about those who have no one to come home to, or have no home at all? And those who need continuing care for their injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder?

The Nassau County Veterans Services Agency estimates that there are more than 186,000 veterans in Nassau and Suffolk counties. With the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s change in the definition of the homeless — which now includes those who are living with friends or family because they are unable to live alone — there are an estimated 8,000 homeless veterans on Long Island, half of them in Nassau County. Some experts say the numbers may be higher because some vets have yet to apply for government assistance.