As many of you know, it has become clear both that civilians need to do more to understand what war veterans have experienced both at war and when trying to return home.
When Viet Nam veteran Ted Engelmann read in When Johnny and Jane Come Marching Home: How All of Us Can Help Veterans about my national war-literacy program of simply having every civilian listen to a veteran’s story, he wrote to suggest that there be an official National Day of Listening to Veterans.
In the months before Veterans Day, I contacted numerous legislative aides who work on veterans matters for various members of Congress, asking that their legislators propose a resolution to declare such a day. Shortly after Veterans Day, I received a wonderful letter from U.S. Congressman Bob Filner (from San Diego), informing me that he put forward the following resolution. As you will see, it has gone to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
Would you please consider contacting your members of the House of Representatives to ask that they all support this resolution and consider signing on as co-sponsors? It would also be great if you would contact your U.S. Senators to inform this that this is happening in the House and urge them to introduce it in the Senate.
Although passing such a resolution is by no means all that veterans need, nor is it even close to sufficient to lead civilians to hold these listening sessions with veterans, it is an important step.
You can tell your legislative representatives that at Harvard Kennedy School, we are just now completing the write-up of the results of the listening sessions we had civilians do with veterans over the summer, and the results show clearly the wonderfully positive results the sessions had. This was consistent with the existing research that shows the benefits of community attention, acceptance, and social support in dealing with emotional suffering.
Feel free to forward this email to your legislators and their assistants with a brief cover note to make it clear that you are one of their constituents and of course anything else that you might wish to add. I would appreciate your copying me on those email messages, please.
Best,
Paula & Xiomara
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Paula J. Caplan, Ph.D.
Fellow, Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University and Associate, DuBois Institute, Harvard University
Paula J. Caplan, Ph.D.
Fellow, Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University and Associate, DuBois Institute, Harvard University
Xiomara A. Sosa
Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer
You Are Strong! Center on Veterans Health and Human Services
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112th Congress
1st Session
H. Res. 456
Encouraging civilians to observe Veterans Day by listening, with respect and without judgment, to the stories of combat veterans.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 3, 2011
Mr. FILNER submitted the following resolution, which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
RESOLUTION
Encouraging civilians to observe Veterans Day by listening, with respect and without judgment, to the stories of combat veterans.
Whereas combat veterans often suffer unnecessary emotional pain because of their isolation from people in their communities;
Whereas these veterans often feel less isolated and suffer less when they are offered the chance to have ordinary, civilian citizens simply listen to their stories with respect and without judgment; and
Whereas November 11 of each year is observed as Veterans Day: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives encourage every civilian to observe Veterans Day by offering to listen, with respect and without judgment, to a veteran tell the story of the veteran’s time at war and experience since returning home.
