Thank You For Your Service: the battle fought at home | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Thank You For Your Service: the battle fought at home

A common reality for veterans and how America fails them

56
Thank You For Your Service: the battle fought at home
https://az616578.vo.msecnd.net/files/2017/10/29/636448808624662518-426183647_thank-you-for-your-service-338598id1_tyfys_27x40_1sheet_email_rgb_copy_-_h_2017.jpg

The new film, Thank You For Your Service, is an incredibly heartbreaking and eye-opening account of life after war and the personal battle that ensues at home after the physical battle has been fought abroad.

This movie looks at the very real effects of war and trauma and focuses on the story of Army Staff Sgt. Adam Schumann, played by Miles Teller, and his experiences in Iraq as part of the 1st Infantry Division. Other soldiers also suffer to return to the life they once knew including Specialist Tausolo Aieti, played by Beulah Koale, and Michael Emory, played by Scott Haze.

Like many veterans, they are confronted with little employment options and a failing Veteran Affairs systems that is both inefficient and lacking in the resources needed to provide veterans the care they need.

There is one scene in the movie in which the waiting room of the VA is crowded with hundreds of men and women with both physical and metal injuries. They are all waiting aimlessly to be called and told if they qualify or can receive some sort of help.

But as it is revealed in the film, medical professionals and rehabilitation facilities are in short-supply and waiting lists are long and discouraging. There are too many veterans that need help and too few who are able to receive it.

It really upsets me that there is not a rightfully funded and specific treatment plan for these veterans once they land back on American soil. How can we expect soldiers to risk their lives abroad when we cannot provide for them once they return?

It is the least we can do to help these selfless men and women; yet so many return feeling isolated, trapped and lost. Many do not have a job and even if they want care, there is no guarantee someone can help them.

The movie reveals the shocking statistic that 22 veterans commit suicide every day. It is truly unacceptable that our veterans are left with untreated injuries and permanent scars that are many times never seen or understood.

Many people do not talk about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but this movie brought it to the big screen and portrayed it honestly and openly. It will hopefully open up a greater conversation about this issue so that our veterans won't be left to suffer alone.

This is a movie that is very difficult to watch but one that needs to be seen. It shows how strong our veterans are and their constant resilience to keep fighting to get better, support their families, and feel at home once again. We need to do more to help them and to truly understand how much of a sacrifice they made and still make everyday for our safety.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
ross geller
YouTube

As college students, we are all familiar with the horror show that is course registration week. Whether you are an incoming freshman or selecting classes for your last semester, I am certain that you can relate to how traumatic this can be.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

Bonus points if it is more than two.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

12 Things I Learned my Freshmen Year of College

When your capability of "adulting" is put to the test

4233
friends

Whether you're commuting or dorming, your first year of college is a huge adjustment. The transition from living with parents to being on my own was an experience I couldn't have even imagined- both a good and a bad thing. Here's a personal archive of a few of the things I learned after going away for the first time.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

Economic Benefits of Higher Wages

Nobody deserves to be living in poverty.

302993
Illistrated image of people crowded with banners to support a cause
StableDiffusion

Raising the minimum wage to a livable wage would not only benefit workers and their families, it would also have positive impacts on the economy and society. Studies have shown that by increasing the minimum wage, poverty and inequality can be reduced by enabling workers to meet their basic needs and reducing income disparities.

I come from a low-income family. A family, like many others in the United States, which has lived paycheck to paycheck. My family and other families in my community have been trying to make ends meet by living on the minimum wage. We are proof that it doesn't work.

Keep Reading...Show less
blank paper
Allena Tapia

As an English Major in college, I have a lot of writing and especially creative writing pieces that I work on throughout the semester and sometimes, I'll find it hard to get the motivation to type a few pages and the thought process that goes behind it. These are eleven thoughts that I have as a writer while writing my stories.

Keep Reading...Show less
April Ludgate

Every college student knows and understands the struggle of forcing themselves to continue to care about school. Between the piles of homework, the hours of studying and the painfully long lectures, the desire to dropout is something that is constantly weighing on each and every one of us, but the glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel helps to keep us motivated. While we are somehow managing to stay enrolled and (semi) alert, that does not mean that our inner-demons aren't telling us otherwise, and who is better to explain inner-demons than the beloved April Ludgate herself? Because of her dark-spirit and lack of filter, April has successfully been able to describe the emotional roller-coaster that is college on at least 13 different occasions and here they are.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments