Organizational Reflection: Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Research Paper

Organizational Reflection Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Research Paper

America has engaged in various wars since its independence. The wars provided brave Americans with a chance to be enlisted in the military so that they could defend their country. By driving through various cities in America, I always notice the graves of millions of our proud soldiers who lost their lives fighting for our country. Some of the slain veterans fought in World War I, War II, Vietnam, and Afghanistan wars. These brave young men and women were willing to give up their lives so that America could protect its sovereignty and shield itself from external aggression.

Despite the resilience shown by American soldiers on the battlefront, most of them were unappreciated and often ended up living a life of squalor after being discharged from service. Worse still, most of the soldiers came back home with serious life-threatening injuries, some of which left them permanently incapacitated (U.S Department of Veterans Affairs). From my perspective, it is prudent that all soldiers who fought in different wars defending America’s sovereignty be honored and taken care of by the government. Here is some information given below on this difficult issue about disabled American Veterans and you can read more researches on America’s veterans, lifestyle, problems they face with and governmental protection an help.

Consequently, various organizations have been set up ostensibly to cater to the needs of veterans and their families. One such organization is the Disabled American Veterans Charity. The entity is a non-profit charity dedicated to supporting veterans of all generations and their families (DAV). DAV has assisted more than one million veterans in positive, life-changing ways, with their slogan being ‘Keeping out Promise to America’s veterans.’

Undoubtedly, most veterans return from war without reliable sources of income. Consequently, most of them face challenges providing for their families and even settling medical bills from injuries sustained in the battlefront. Nonetheless, Disabled American Veterans Charity is aware of this glaring challenge, hence their commitment to providing more than 240,000 rides to injured veterans who attend medical appointments (DAV). In addition, DAV has assisted veterans in receiving more than 160,000 benefit claims, with records indicating that the organization assisted veterans in getting more than $23 billion in earned benefits (DAV). The best thing about DAV is that they offer their services to veterans and their families at no cost at all.

The Disabled American Veterans Charity is also renowned for connecting veterans with gainful employment opportunities and hosting job fairs. They provide the veterans with resources that ensure they participate meaningfully in society and share in the American Dream. Notably, I realized that most veterans lived a life of squalor after being discharged from service. As a result, most of them sunk into depression and drug abuse since they could no longer fend for themselves.

I have witnessed scenarios in my community where those who served in the Afghan war suffered after their tenures expired. Worse still, some of them suffered life-threatening injuries that left them disabled for life (U.S Department of Veterans Affairs). Therefore, efforts by the Disabled American Veterans Charity go a long way in assisting such veterans in getting back on their feet and rebuilding their lives.

The organization is structured hierarchically, with leaders at each level tasked with different responsibilities. DAV’s highest-ranked body is the Executive committee, followed by the Board of Directors, the National Judge Advocate, and the National Chaplain (DAV).

In summary, I have noted that DAV is committed to its purpose and mission statement of empowering veterans to lead dignified and high-quality lives. Furthermore, the organization ensures all veterans access benefits available to them, both medical and financial. They also fight for their interests on Capitol Hill and sensitize members of the public about the sacrifices made by veterans in defending America. Doing so enables the public to also assist them as they transition back to civilian life.

References

DAV. A legacy of service, hope for the future. n.d, https://www.dav.org/learn-more/about-dav/

U.S Department of Veterans Affairs. Federal benefits for veterans, dependents, and survivors. 2020, https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/benefits_book/2020_Federal_Benefits_for_Veterans_Dependents_and_survivors.pdf