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Written by Georgia Lee Arts
November 10, 2024
REPORT FROM THE TRANSITION BATTLEFIELD
Hey, it’s me. I’m #22—the one you canceled, the one you excluded, the one you set up for failure while claiming “support.” You’ve seen me before. I’m the face of the veteran you didn’t hire, the one whose business pitch wasn’t allowed, the idea and story you borrowed but didn’t credit. I’m a soldier who fought for my country only to come home and be erased from my own community. Every day, twenty-two veterans lose their fight against hopelessness. When you canceled me, you joined the ranks of what pushes veterans into that dark number.
THE EMPTY PROMISES OF “VETERAN SUPPORT"
I’m not alone in this. A lot of us came home to find out that “support” is little more than a banner headline. I’ve walked into spaces that promised empowerment and walked out only to face closed doors and rejections. The truth is, some of these organizations say they’re here for us, but their actions don’t match the script. It’s not just about missing an opportunity; it’s about being pushed back into that cycle of isolation, joblessness, and hopelessness—one more step toward becoming another statistic.
HEROES UNSEEN
No medals pinned, no bright brass plates,
But bloodstains streak these city gates.
The sidewalks wear our silent cries,
A crimson mark where hope once lies.
They say they see us, nod and cheer,
But only when the spotlight’s near.
Their voices swell, rehearsed and grand—
The politician’s sleight of hand.
"Get back down there," the whispers say,
"Make room for us, your time's decay.
"For twenty-two a day must fall,
So others rise, stand proud, and tall.
It's fame they seek, the gilded throne,
While veterans break, unheard, alone.
Their words are polished, smooth, and bright—
But truth reveals the darkest night.
In actions bare, in scars unshown,
Our battle’s lost, we bleed alone.
The lies, like chains, around us cast,
So others rise—our shadows last.
WHY FAUX SUPPORT HURTS MORE THAN NO SUPPORT
Here’s the thing: when you claim you’re “veteran-friendly” but shut down or take our ideas or make us invisible, it stings deeper than outright rejection. Because we believed in you. We thought there was a place for us in your community, but it turns out we were just part of the image, a box to tick for social credibility. Every time you cancel one of us, exclude our business, or silence our story, you reinforce the barriers we’re trying to break. You’re feeding the numbers, adding to the despair that leaves veterans on the fringe.
WHAT KIND OF PERSON DOES THIS?
So, let’s ask the hard question: who decides to cancel someone who served? Is it a fear of competition? Is it control? I’m not a therapist, but it feels like there’s a psychological profile to this: the need to maintain power or to avoid sharing space with those whose experiences differ. It’s about gatekeeping, plain and simple. When you shut down a veteran’s path to success, you’re blocking the way for someone who sacrificed a piece of themselves for the freedom of their country. You’re making a conscious choice to keep the “veteran-friendly” label while denying us the very support that label implies.
THE REALITY BEHIND 22 A DAY
The next time you put a veteran on a poster or nod along to a story of service, remember: "The measure of society is how it treats its weakest members," as Thomas Jefferson said. And if your version of “support” means using us as props, it’s not support at all—it’s exploitation. Every exclusion, every shutdown, every canceled business leaves us closer to the edge. You might not see it that way, but each time this happens, you contribute to the reality of “22 a day.”
SO, WHAT CAN CHANGE?
To the employers, leaders, and communities reading this: if you’re truly veteran-friendly, show it with action, not empty promises. Hire us. Don’t just take the grant money and business ideas as your own. Help us grow our businesses. Let us speak, pitch, and share our stories without fear of exclusion or erasure. Create genuine networks that help us thrive. Honor our service by supporting our dreams and businesses, not by canceling them in silence. You have the power to change lives, to push back against that tragic number. Do something real with it.
Email georgia.elysiandream@gmail.com and ask to have your name put on the release list for my new book: Dream Journey, Breaking the Dream Barriers. A Guide to Bridging the Identity Gaps in Life and Career. ™
Georgia Lee Arts, certified coach and founder of Elysian Dream, is a Life, Career Strategy, and Transitions Coach with 30 years of military and civilian experience in leadership, training, and coaching.
© 2023 Elysian Dream / All Rights Reserved
References
Wrzesniewski, A., McCauley, C., Rozin, P., & Schwartz, B. (1997). Jobs, careers, and callings: People’s relations to their work.
Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W. B., & Leiter, M. P. (2001). Job burnout. Annual Review of Psychology.
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. (n.d.). Homelessness Among Veterans.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). Mental Health and Suicide Statistics.
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