November 11, 2015 was Veterans Day, and many of us paused to pay tribute to the veterans who have served our country and the sacrifice of these individuals and their families.
Many NCIL members know that veterans have not always been honored as they are in 2015. It might be hard for some to understand that there have been times when we did not honor the lives of those who gave to their country: Vietnam veterans who were treated as enemies upon their return to the U.S., women who were not fully recognized as Veterans and were not eligible for Veteran benefits until after WWII, and veterans of color.
We invite you, as NCIL members, to work on the NCIL Veterans Subcommittee to ensure that veterans are not only honored, but that their Independent Living needs are supported. There is a lot of work to be done, especially as Congress looks to gut the budget.
In 2015, we hear speeches and grandstanding about our veteran community from politicians, but when it comes down to policy and supporting our veterans, policy-makers are lacking in action.
The NCIL Veterans Subcommittee is comprised of veterans who have disabilities and allies in disability rights to bring forward our community’s important policy issues. A lot of members joined the Subcommittee’s meetings in August, but for the past few months attendance has been very low. We are looking for members who are able to spend time on committee work. If you are interested in joining the Subcommittee, you must be a NCIL individual member and have time to contribute to the Subcommittee. If interested, contact Co-Chairs: Sarah Launderville at [email protected] and Mark Derry at [email protected].
Our next meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 11, 2016.
We also invite you to check out these resources for Veterans:
