KENT, Wash. — Somber skies hung above Tahoma National Cemetery this Veteran’s Day.
No crowds. No bugle corps. Just rain and memories for Allen Reece, an Army veteran. He was inspired by his brother, Sgt. Frederick Reece, to enlist.
“Very proud. Very proud,” says Reece.
But amid his pride are memories of pain. “I’m one of those vets who had depression and anxiety,” says Reece.
For many, military service takes a toll on their physical and mental health.
KIRO 7 asked veterans throughout the day: ‘Is America doing enough, to serve those who served?’
“I feel that a lot of the vets lately have been getting kind of treated badly. But hopefully things will change,” says Jim Gunsallus, a Vietnam veteran.
He says he still remembers how poorly he was treated when returning home from Vietnam.
He believes veterans still lack the necessary support.
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, nearly 33,000 veterans are homeless.
American veterans make up about 6% of the United States adult population, yet account for nearly 20% of suicides, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Despite the continued challenges, Gunsallus doesn’t regret his decision to serve. Veteran’s Day is a bittersweet reminder of what that service means.
“It brings tears to my eyes every once in a while because I think about family, friends, people I lost over in Vietnam. I always let the kids know- God bless America,” says Gunsallus.