Main description:

In Our Veterans, Suzanne Gordon, Steve Early, and Jasper Craven explore the physical, emotional, social, economic, and psychological impact of military service and the problems that veterans face when they return to civilian life. The authors critically examine the role of advocacy organizations, philanthropies, corporations, and politicians who purport to be "pro-veteran." They describe the ongoing debate about the cost, quality, and effectiveness of healthcare provided or outsourced by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). They also examine generational divisions and political tensions among veterans, as revealed in the tumultuous events of 2020, from Black Lives Matter protests to the Trump-Biden presidential contest. Frank and revealing, Our Veterans proposes a new agenda for veterans affairs linking service provision to veterans to the quest for broader social programs benefiting all Americans.

Contents:

List of Abbreviations ix
Preface xiii
Authors' Note and Acknowledgments xvii
Introduction: Friendly Fire 1
1. A Toxic Workplace 27
2. Life and Work after the Military 57
3. Stolen Valor 85
4. Last Stand of the Legion Post? 108
5. The New VSOs 134
6. A VA Healthcare Struggle 155
7. Playing the Veteran Card 176
8. Veterans and the 2020 Election 199
Conclusion: Rethinking Veterans Affairs 222
Notes 253
Selected Bibliography 311
Index 317