Now that we're past the restrictions of the recent global crisis, I've returned to volunteering with an organization that feeds the homeless. We have a shocking number of homeless veterans here, and it's good to see them directed to services that can get them off the streets during bitterly cold winter weather.

As an honorably discharged veteran myself, I can still recall the surprise to learn that our destroyer was heading out on deployment without all of the supplies we needed. It boils my blood to see us providing so much assistance to foreign countries while we neglect those who served/serve in the military right here at home.

We're too busy fighting other nations wars overseas, to bother with fighting the war against veteran homelessness right here at home. I see the gaunt faces of these men as I serve them heaping mounds of food from the kitchen.

A surprising number of them are older, and dealing with a cascading number of infirmities as well as old battle wounds. The V.A. is a topic of heated conversation amongst them, and I was surprised as a new sailor to learn lack of funding to provide the proper care for our brave military veterans.

This is the same facility where pre-crisis, I was able to talk management into dropping the policy of banning people who took food out of the building. I shared about how a hungry man was banned by the staff when they found an apple in his pocket.

Knowing how much food we throw away each day, I argued that since we would have tossed those boxes of apples anyway, it made no sense to throw him out due to an outdated policy.

I should know. I was the one who cleaned up after meals and was astounded at garbage bag after garbage bag of untouched food that I was directed to toss in the dumpster each and every day. So getting that policy reversed (as well as reversing the ban on that veteran being able to come back for meals) was a little victory of sorts in the battle to assist homeless military veterans.

The sobering thought was that if I hadn't spoke up, that unwritten policy would still be in effect. Its odd to see situations like that looking around to see if any of the others will step up, then realizing that it all comes down to me.

But I'm glad I was able to make a difference.

At the other soup kitchen that I volunteer in, I'm seeing many more families with children, who are dealing with food insecurity. I know that look that people have when they've consumed meager rations, as I had it myself when I was a kid, as I shared in the comments of a recent post.

Seeing them toss out mounds of food there as well, I directed the mothers to go right back in line for seconds if they were still hungry, and directed the kitchen staff to up the portion size to ensure that these people left with full bellies.

I'll never forget the mother who came in with several little kids who warmly thanked me for making sure they were taken care of.

As if I was doing something special...

I wasn't.

I was doing what any decent, God-fearing person should have done in that situation.

We spent over 1 TRILLION DOLLARS $$$$$$ (of YOUR money) in Afghanistan fighting FOR them and providing humanitarian assistance, only to see them completely fold and switch to the Taliban the moment we left.

Their "military" that we supplied, trained, "bolstered" and "embedded" with for 20 years, wouldn't even fight for their own country. So why the hell should we! Now they're busy banning girls from schools and women from the workplace.

We need to start looking after our own first before we start taking sides in foreign wars and caring more about the citizens of other countries than we do our own.

Especially if they served in the military.

To those who have, I thank you for your service my brothers and sisters. I'll try to lighten your load whenever I can, as a way of serving you in return.