Sunday marked the 94th anniversary of the armistice between the Allied nations and Germany that ceased hostilities and World War I.

Now, many wars later, we spent Monday off from school to honor those who fought for our country, all while there is still much that needs to be done to assure that Americas veterans are properly taken care of.

It should be a point of pride that Americas military is among the best in the world.

With the countrys financial conundrum, the Obama administration needs to not only make sure that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has the resources to care for the more than 22.7 million veterans it serves, but also that it is using the money in the most productive manner.

War is definitely a traumatic experience.

According to the VA website, one in five Iraq War veterans return with some form of post-traumatic stress disorder, while many other veterans have suffered from it unknowingly, allowing it to go untreated for many years.

We need to make sure the VA can care for both the physical and the mental injuries veterans face.

An article in Bloomberg News mentioned a 50-year-old Gulf War veteran who has been waiting for three years to receive care for issues he has been facing with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
Florida passed Amendment 2 on last Tuesdays ballot, which allowed disabled military veterans to receive discounts on property taxes.
While the availability of money may help military veterans financial issues, there is more that can be done that would not require money.

We need to make it easier for veterans to transfer the training they received in the military to allow them to forgo additional training for related work back at home. A Navy Seal should be able to become a police officer and a military surgeon should be able to work at any hospital.
Just as America prides itself on its military prowess, it should pride itself on its commitment to helping
veterans.

Whether we honor this commitment by helping new veterans become acclimated to life at home or ensuring that the VA is properly maintained, it is something that needs to be done. Even if the cost is raising taxes by any percentage, no price should be spared in caring for those who risked their lives for this country.

Robert Scime is a senior majoring in mass communications.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A previous version of this story said Florida passed Amendment Two which “allowed military veterans who did not live in Florida before they entered the military exemption from property taxes.” It was incorrect. This version has been updated.