It’s an inarguable fact that military service members who come home from combat overseas often return with a sense of not being fully able to re-adjust to civilian life. Whether it was a Marine who lost both of his legs to a roadside IED in Iraq, or a paratrooper who saw good friends of his die in a remote region of Afghanistan, war leaves its impressions on the body, mind, and spirit that very few of us can sustainably understand or appreciate. It is a statistical fact, for example, that veterans of foreign wars experience a much higher frequency of joblessness, homelessness, and mental illness than the national norm. But thankfully, even if one can’t fully comprehend where a service member has been or what he or she has seen, there are still ways of helping them reclaim their lives.
“The greatest casualty is being forgotten.” That’s the motto of the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit group whose primary objective is “to foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation’s history” – a worthy goal if ever there was one. The Wounded Warrior Project raises awareness and financial support for those who necessarily sacrificed a part of themselves.
We began providing financial contributions to the Wound Warrior Project for a whole number of reasons. Not only have we supplied lining in soldiers’ fighting uniforms to give them comfort and support during the rigors and trials of combat, but it’s our ethical duty to provide the same comfort on the home front as well, ensuring that returning soldiers will have programs available like Wounded Warrior to welcome them back safely to American shores. In addition, Jason Mills contributes directly to the Veterans of Foreign Wars as well. It’s our small (though hopefully significant) contribution to welcoming returning veterans back into the greater mesh and fabric of our society.