When you look at the calendar, it seems like time is flying — not only in weeks and months, but definitely in years. This September will mark twenty-five years since the terrorist attacks on 9/11, a day that reshaped our nation and the lives of countless service members and families.

In our work serving veterans in this area, the passing of time becomes very real. We are still meeting a surprising number of Vietnam Veterans who have either not been to the office for many years or have never stepped into the VA system at all. It amazes us because so much help is available, and it saddens us because no one who wore the uniform should feel they have to navigate these systems alone.

To all of our Vietnam Veterans, first of all: welcome home. That greeting came far too late for your generation, and we cannot erase that strain on our nation’s history, but we can say it now and mean it. It is never too late to sit down with us, talk about your service, and explore what benefits and support you have earned but may not yet be receiving.

But our responsibility does not end with Vietnam. Another generation is now quietly moving into the stage of life where service-related injuries and exposures begin to show up in earnest. If you hear the term “GWOT,” this is who we are talking about: the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other parts of the Middle East and beyond since 9/11. Many of them live right here in our communities.

In our corner of Minnesota, the lion’s share of these veterans are Army National Guard members who were activated and sent halfway around the world in support of the Global War on Terror. One day they were civilians with jobs, families, and responsibilities at home; the next they were told to become active-duty soldiers almost overnight, do a quick workup, and head into a combat zone.

When their deployments ended, they came back, turned in their gear, and were quickly sent back to their “regular” jobs and lives — with little time or space to truly reintegrate.

Unless they had obvious, debilitating injuries, many did not take the time to get fully checked out when they returned to the States. It is easy to dismiss nagging pain as “just part of getting older” or to push aside difficult memories in order to get on with life.

Yet no matter where they served, the work was demanding, the hours were long, and the opportunities to wear down bodies and minds were everywhere.

This is not just our observation; it is our lived experience. Both Curtis and Heidi served on active duty, and David served in the National Guard, was ordered to active duty, and saw combat with a local unit deployed to Iraq. We know, firsthand, that you can look fine on the outside while carrying injuries and exposures that only show up years later.

Like previous conflicts, the Global War on Terror involved exposures to toxic substances — burn pits, chemicals, dust, and more – that can lie dormant in the body for years or even decades. We have seen how conditions that seemed minor or insignificant at the time can later turn into serious, even life-threatening, health issues.

That is why we believe strongly that doing the paperwork, documenting injuries, and opening a claim or at least a file now is not bureaucracy; it is an investment in your future and your family’s security.

Our opinion is simple: no veteran of any era should wait until a crisis forces them to seek help. If you served in Korea, Vietnam, if you deployed after 9/11, if you were Guard or Reserve, active duty, or a combination of both, you have earned the right to sit down with someone who understands the system and will advocate for you.

As your county Veterans Service Office, our doors are open because this community made a promise to its veterans, and we are part of keeping that promise. An hour spent with us today could mean that, if something arises tomorrow — a new diagnosis, a worsening injury, a change in work or family circumstances — you are not starting from scratch. You will have a record, a relationship, and an advocate already in place.

We are extending this invitation to veterans of all eras. Walk-ins are welcome, but setting up an appointment helps us ensure we have the time to hear your story and get things squared away properly.

We urge you: do not let another anniversary of 9/11, another Veterans Day, another year on the calendar go by while you wonder if you “rate” coming in. You do.

Hope to see you soon.

— Curtis Hendel is the Nobles County Veterans Service Office; Heidi Fier is the Lyon County Veterans Service Officer; and David Girgen, Lyon County Assistant Veterans Service Officer