November 11 is Veterans Day in the United States. It coincides with holidays celebrated in other countries as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day. All of them mark the anniversary of the end of World War I that officially occurred at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.
In the US, Veterans Day honors all those who have served in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard.
There is flag-waving and speech-making. But what can be overlooked in all the celebrations of our veterans are the following facts:
*8-10% of the homeless population in the US are veterans.
*11-30% of veterans suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) The percentage of veterans with PTSD varies by service and era, and includes those who have experienced sexual assault when in the military.
*7% of veterans suffer from alcohol or drug addiction
More than 2 of 10 Veterans with PTSD also have Substance Use Disorder (SUD).
*17-20 veterans commit suicide each day
Towel & Basin's slogan is serving those who serve
So in addition to honoring them, I want to challenge you to think about how you can serve those veterans who have (italicize) served.
Specifically, in the next few days, find some way - large or small - that you can be of service to one veteran...or more.
-- you will be you serving those who have served.
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