There's an article on CNN today about a former soldier and addict starting a charity to help homeless veterans. Apparently 1/3 of all homeless adults are veterans of war. This man's particular story included him becoming an alcoholic while a member of the Army. He was also using drugs by the time he left the Army.

This story is not uncommon.

The men and women who are deployed and who see combat come home different people. There are physical issues (injuries, drugs, alcohol) and there are psychological issues (nightmares, the inability to re-enter into society).

If we are going to send people to war, we need to take care of them.

There are stories upon stories of individuals who went to Iraq, came home injured, and are being refused treatment or the monetary help that they need. Some soldiers come home with Post Traumatic Stress disorder and "having been depressed before the war" are denied treatment (do a simple google search for the issues of soliders coming home, you'll see what I mean).

If we are going to send people to war, we need to take care of them.