Americans should spend more money on veterans

Supporting our troops cannot begin and end with the mere act of waving a flag or wearing a yellow ribbon

A child hugs his father who returned from Afghanistan on Nov. 4, 2012, after a nine-month deployment.
(Image credit: Marc Piscotty/Getty Images)

It doesn't matter whether you agree or disagree with President Obama's strategy on Afghanistan, because the president has made his decision. After more than a decade of war, major U.S. military operations are coming to an end. Many will welcome this development; years upon years of war have wearied America. But while this exhaustion is understandable, it's also insignificant. Since the fall of 2001, while we spent money in malls, our fellow citizens were giving everything abroad. Now these veterans need our support.

While their fortitude is incredible and their military successes undeniable, after multiple combat deployments, many veterans face serious challenges when they come home. In 2012, 349 service personnel took their own lives, a 16 percent increase over 2011, and more than were killed in action. We must stop this national catastrophe. But how?

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Tom Rogan is a conservative writer who blogs at TomRoganThinks.com.