Here is a picture taken outside of the entrance to the NYC VA Hospital
On October 28, my group and I visited the New York VA Hospital thanks to the help of the wonderful Claudia Benjamin, the Executive Chief of staff at the institute. Walking up towards the building, I got a sad feeling. Before you even got to the front steps, you could see old and young veterans alike, heading towards the building. It was a strange mixture of sadness, pride, and even fear. I personally felt intimidated by the veterans – these men had served our country and were now living in a place where they weren’t cared for , and I know I would be angry if I were them. Upon arriving we were confronted by a veteran who seemed to be confused and objective towards our arrival. I had run ahead of my group because we were running late, and I met a kind veteran who was happy to show me the door. I told him about our project and he seemed pleased to hear that youth had taken an interest in such a complicated topic. He helped us find our way, and also explained our purpose to the man who had stopped us.
We first met up with Claudia Benjamin, and after we went though some security, she gave us a quick tour of the facilities. The mood was dark and sad, yet at the same time, it was strangely filled with hope. We walked through corridors and eventually came to Doctor Tenner’s office, our first of our two interviewees. Dr. Tenner’s spoke to us about what it was like working with veterans, how he felt on the topic, and what led him to be what he is now. He spoke to us about how upsetting it was to see these men and women come home from fighting across seas, only to be forgotten by the nation they so proudly fought for in combat. He told us that his father had been a dentist in a town, and he had made a good living doing his job. Eventually, the town struck poverty, and became a pretty sad and dangerous place. His office had even been broken into in the middle of the day! However, instead of moving, Dr. Tenner’s father stayed to continue helping those in need. He said it was because the reason he had been so successful in life was because of this town and the people living there, and he would do anything to help them. Before we left, we asked Dr. Tenner’s what we can do to help. He told us that the most important thing to remember, is to always give back to your community, and to those who especially made it safe for you to be there. This is something, I believe, we all have to remember.
Our second interview was with Isaac Gonzalez, a former veteran that worked at the institute. He told us his story of being a veteran, and how many of his bunk mates and colleagues had become homeless when they returned home. He spoke to us about his feelings on the matter, and even though he didn’t work with homeless veterans directly, he still shared with us how he felt there should be no homeless veterans at all. When asked, “If the world could stop and be silent for 5 minutes and only listen to you, what’s one thing you would say about this topic,” Isaac answered that he would want everyone to look around and see how many veterans are living on the streets right after they fought for their country. He wanted us to realize how many of those who are homeless now, are veterans.
Between these two interviews, and the sights we saw , we have realized that the true secret to giving back to those who fought for us, isn’t as complicated as everyone thinks it is. All it is, is giving back to those who kept you safe, giving back to those who will always have your back, and just simply caring for these amazing men and women who risk their lives, risk the chance of never seeing their families again, just to keep us safe. These men and women are neglected in our society. Why should we ignore their cause, when in movies and media we praise the heroes. These are our heroes. Where is the caring?
