Perfect for Veteran’s Day

Michelle Obama launches community network for vets

First Lady Michelle Obama wants Americans to recognize the sacrifices of the nation’s veterans by contributing to a grass-roots volunteer and community service network that will expand services for veterans and, supporters say, enrich American society.

At a Veterans Day event Wednesday, Mrs. Obama announced a new military-oriented community service organization called Mission Serve, an offshoot of the public-service group ServiceNation.

Since arriving in the White House, Mrs. Obama has been using her star appeal to bring new focus to the lot of military members and their families after eight years of war. Her efforts are seen as genuine but also politically astute. She is drawing on deepening concern that the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan could create a generation of veterans like Vietnam’s – some nursing war afflictions, others lacking opportunity, and all potentially feeling alienated from the rest of society.

Only 13 percent of veterans returning to civilian life say the transition is going well, according to a new study released Wednesday, and nearly 2 in 3 veterans say they have skills to offer but that no one in their community has reached out to them. At the same time, a higher percentage of veterans are unemployed.

This is a worthy endeavor by the First Lady, and I hope it’s successful.