Let's do right by our veterans

This is the day when we thank our veterans, when we honor their deeds and pay a bit more attention to their stories. We hold parades each year, and share reminders to pause and consider what so many men and women have endured and achieved to keep our nation safe and secure.

But too often we pay only passing attention to honor those veterans who are still with us and are in need. Too often the lives of veterans are buffeted by difficulties we have an absolute obligation to assuage, but do not address.

Veterans Day ought to feature as much constructive discussion about caring for veterans issues as it does parades. And the other 364 days of the year ought to see that care delivered.

On Long Island, and particularly in Nassau County, there is plenty we can do to better the lives of veterans. Today is the right day to begin.

Long Island has a large veteran population in both counties, but a study a few years ago found the populations are different from each other, and from the national veteran population, and so need special attention.

Nationally, 4.2% of our veterans served in World War II. But in Suffolk 6.7% of our veterans did, and in Nassau 10.2% of our veterans did. Long Island, and particularly Nassau, also have unusually high percentages of Korean War veterans.

That’s because while just under 50% of the nation’s veterans are over 65, 67% of Suffolk’s and 72% of Nassau’s are.

And Nassau’s veterans generally must travel to Brooklyn, Manhattan or Northport to get services, which can be burdensome for our oldest and most challenged former soldiers, sailors and Marines.

Northport’s VA hospital needs close to $300 million in repairs and renovation. The federal, state, and county governments need to see that the current glut of federal infrastructure and COVID recovery money gets that work done.

But Nassau County needs veterans services too, and its plan to place many of those services on the campus of the huge, underutilized and financially struggling Nassau University Medical Center makes sense for everyone.

County Executive Laura Curran has proposed an $85 million plan to expand health care and housing for veterans. The money would assist in renovating NUMC to provide some inpatient services and a Veterans Adult Day Health Care program. It would also fund upgrades to vacant apartment buildings on the NUMC campus for area veterans, many of whom face housing insecurity.

Our elected officials, and most importantly Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, support the plan. For once, the money ought to be available. There is no doubt about the need.

So let’s get to work so that, a year from now, we can show veterans how much we appreciate their service, rather than just telling them.