Cara Wendling

When I joined the Navy, it was to pay for law school, travel and patriotically serve my country after 9/11. I witnessed how bloated our military was. The captain of our carrier told oncoming sailors straight up "War is about money. It's all about money." and bragged that half of US tax dollars went towards the DoD. Our country is regarded as world terrorists. This war is never ending and has accomplished nothing besides destroying lives and wasting money that could have went towards education and healthcare for our own citizens. The main reason I am joining is because after I was discharged, I went to Tulane University to purse a Masters degree in social work. I was placed, as an intern, at the Southeastern VA, where I saw combat veterans returning from Iraq whose lives, and families lives, had been DESTROYED because of PTSD. I also witnessed how indifferent the VA was in treating them. Many were on 6 month waiting lists. I feel the government uses the service members like disposable commodities and fails to treat them with dignity as Veterans. Instead of pumping more and more into war, take care of returning Vets and stop ruining lives.