By the time the Japanese forces had surrendered unconditionally and World War II ended on August 14, 2009, the United States had suffered significant losses. About 413,000 vets and civilians died as a result of the war. Some individuals emerged unscathed but tens of thousands returned to their homes with injuries, both to their bodies and to their psyches.
Suddenly, America had to figure out how to care for these hard-working vets who had given their time and energy to defend their country but whose lives were now being compromised by the after-effects of the war.
Indeed, World War II ushered in a new era of healthcare for veterans. Though the Veterans Administration (VA) was established in 1930, it wasn’t until the post-World War II years that the VA, now the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, had to step up its game. While they rallied for things like the G.I. Bill, which provided money for college or vocational training, and the Mustering-Out Payment Act, which gave funds to vets to help them get on with their lives, they had a long way to go as far as healthcare was concerned.
Twenty years later, the health concerns of veterans would come into play again as Vietnam vets faced diseases potentially caused by chemicals like Agent Orange. That same scenario would play out again in the 1990s as Gulf War vets returned to the states and developed “Gulf War Syndrome” due to repeated exposure to toxic chemicals used in combat during that conflict.
Caring for the needs of veterans, both those who saw combat and those who did not, is a huge task. In fact, caring for our veterans, said President Barack Obama in a March 17 speech to employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs, is “a commitment that lasts from the day our veterans retire that uniform to the day that they are put to rest…”
In the last few decades, healthcare for veterans has indeed improved and continues to improve. Currently, two bills are being considered for passage that would greatly affect healthcare for U.S. veterans: S. 1302, appropriately entitled the Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009; and H.R. 1211, which, specifically, would improve VA-administered health care services available to women veterans, especially those serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Veterans face many of the same health issues as the rest of the general public, but some must contend with illnesses and disorders uniquely connected to their service. For example, Navy vets and shipyard workers who served from about 1940 until the mid-1970s are prime candidates for developing asbestos-related diseases such as the cancer mesothelioma. The military made widespread use of asbestos during that era, especially aboard ships, and thousands of veterans have suffered the consequences of that use. Mesothelioma can take up to 50 years to surface, often appearing when it is too late for successful treatment. Thankfully, the Dept. of Veterans Affairs has finally begun to recognize the seriousness of this disease and the need for quality mesothelioma treatment and maximum compensation for those stricken.
As the anniversary of the end of World War II is celebrated by U.S. vets across the country, it is the hope of all patriotic Americans that veterans continue to receive the care they need and that their lives after service will be made easier by people and government agencies dedicated to their well-being.
