Standing with our Veterans

Military personnel plays an essential role in every nation. They ensure that a country is safe from external aggression by confronting any threat towards their countries. This duty entails many sacrifices as one is sometimes forced to travel overseas for peace-keeping missions, hence being separated from family and friends for extended periods. Others even lose their lives in the process and only return to their countries as corpses. These brave men and women endure numerous risks out of the love they have for their countries and their people. If they retire from service and adjust to everyday civilian life, a treatment worthy of their service is crucial. Governments and citizens should strive to make this transition process smooth for the veterans.

Every military branch is run by rules and regulations that all personnel is expected to adhere to. Most of these rules, however, do not apply in the typical civilian setting. Because of this, a good number of veterans take time to adjust to their new way of life. Other challenges that they face include:

Finding a new career path

Once out of service, veterans who are still energetic see the need to work and provide for their families. Even though most of them are trained in various fields, finding a job turns out to be a difficult task.

Re-establishing relationship with friends                   

Due to the long periods of physical absence, veterans have to do a lot to reconnect with their families and friends. Often this becomes challenging because people tend to fear people with a military background. They are usually mistaken to be violent.

Abiding by civilian legal standards                                                                                                                            

There instances when veterans commit crimes without intending. A practical example is a violation of the traffic rules; this happens because they have not had so much time familiarizing themselves with the rules, more so for those who have gone into peace-keeping missions for long.

Dealing with mesothelioma

Almost thirty percent of mesothelioma cases happen to involve veterans who served in the army. Between 1930 and 1980, asbestos (the principal causing agent of mesothelioma) was commonly used in making a wide range of military products. Learn more about this condition. Nonetheless, exposure to this harmful material cannot be limited to those served between the mentioned periods. Those who served more recently are also at risk since the process of doing away with asbestos-related products in most militaries is not yet complete. Some areas where asbestos material was used are:

  • Damaged buildings-In the process of confronting an enemy, buildings are damaged, and chances that some of these buildings are made using asbestos-related products exist. Those around will certainly inhale the dust, probably containing asbestos fibers.
  • Military transportation- Electric wiring insulation brake pads, clutch pads and thermal insulation were `made using asbestos. Veterans who worked as mechanics or drivers must have interacted with the mentioned parts either through repair or driving.

Veterans who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma should not bear that burden alone. They should seek legal advice from advice on how to receive compensation. With dedicated legal support from an experienced lawyer, veterans can receive compensation and other benefits. With this money, they can sort their treatment expenses and take care of their families. We all need to work to see that our veterans live a life that reciprocated the service they rendered.