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Supporting Service Members and Veterans at the holidays
he holidays can be a warm and cozy time of connecting with loved ones you might not have been able to see all year . However , for military personnel , that ’ s not always the case . According to a publication by the Joint Chiefs of Staff , of the approximately 1.3 million active-duty military personnel , hundreds of thousands may not be able to come home for the holidays , many of whom are stationed across all seven continents .
Military servicemembers can often feel isolated in their work , and underappreciated in the communities where they come from , because many people don ’ t know what their jobs entail . And this may especially sting at the holidays .
By Jordan Pedersen
be reminded of challenging or even painful memories of their past deployment .
Dedric Jackson has served in the Navy for 28 years . Now a Commander in the Supply Corps , and about to deploy to Kuwait again , Jackson knows a thing or two about how lonely the holidays can feel when you ’ re overseas or just separated from friends and family . While he says the military does a good job at trying to keep servicemembers entertained and connected , sometimes loneliness still creeps in .
What has meant the most to him are programs that allow citizens to write letters to servicemembers .
“ Those people don ’ t know me ; they just write to a service member . I felt like some kind of a superstar with a fan base .” But , more importantly , what those letters did for him , he said , is “ made me feel good about serving . There were folks out there who understood the sacrifices being made and they were showing their appreciation , especially now when we don ’ t have a draft — It ’ s an all-volunteer force .”
Vietnam Veteran and Award-winning Architect Charles Weston reflects on the importance of hearing from loved ones while serving abroad . Weston is a Freedom Fest volunteer and community champion
Morgan Hill architect Charles Weston , a former Army Sergeant who was drafted at the age of 17 and spent more than a year in Vietnam and a total of nearly three years in service , doesn ’ t always enjoy the reminders of the difficult days he spent in Vietnam . While service members today are often lauded for their service , protests against the war led to many Vietnam veterans not feeling well received or appreciated by their own communities .
He remembers , however , looking forward to receiving letters from home , especially at the holidays . But what he wanted were heartfelt messages . “ I would have liked a letter from my parents saying that they loved me and were concerned about me . Something more than just what they usually wrote , which was , “ Your taxes are due , and we ’ re taking care of your dog .’ I would have liked something on a personal level .”
He does have one vivid and happy memory amidst the chaos of Vietnam , when he was stationed there through Christmas . He and his troop caught and roasted a wild pig . “ It felt almost normal , like a camping trip ,” he said .
Comm . Dedric Jackson , US Navy Supply Corps serves as a logistician trained in four functional areas : supply chain management , food service management and operations , retail management and operations .
Showing appreciation to servicemembers , he said , “ is a way for you to open up your aperture so you can have more appreciation for the civil liberties we enjoy here in the country .” For veterans , who may no longer be in active service , the holidays can also be a difficult time . Not every veteran wants to
Consider that the best way to support your veterans at the holidays is to find out what they need in regard to their time in the service , and offer that . For some veterans that may be appreciation and reminiscing ; for others , it may be to feel as normal as possible by not thinking about the past .
This year , at the holidays , consider sending a care package or letter through organizations like The United Service Organization ( USO ) and the Red Cross . These organizations will also enable you to support military spouses .
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