As we continue to pursue our goals with Operation: Sound Off! (OSO), I hear more and more about the struggles of our heroes after they serve. And what seems to be the trend in the national consciousness is the inability to keep this issue on the front of our minds. Too often we hear about troops being wounded or killed on the battlefield, and feel sad for them, their fellow brothers and sisters in arms, and even their families, only to have those thoughts leave us in minutes. Most of us are aware of issues like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but that's where our focus ends. We feel pride and puff our chest when we read about a Wounded Warrior Project event to help those with physical disabilities, then continue on to the next article.
I'm reading more and more about the tragedy that is the unemployment rate of returning troops. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer said in a Wall Street Journal Online article dated yesterday, "The national unemployment rate for veterans 18 to 24 years old is more than 21 percent." According to the Department of Labor website, the national unemployment rate as of this writing is 8.9 percent.
We will make it a part of our OSO mission to increase awareness of this growing trend and do our part to change it. We appreciate your support.
Scotty Huff
Co-Founder, Operation: Sound Off!
