How Not To Treat A Hero

Amy Davidson examines Dakota Meyer's defamation lawsuit against BAE Systems, and how it relates to all U.S. troops (h/t Balloon Juice):

But there are veterans who come back with far less support and love, their bodies and minds much less solid. Does anyone know what happens to them if one manager, on the phone with another, makes a remark about drinking, or instability, or what everyone supposedly knows about what combat does to a person? Are they helped, or are they written off? What is it like to be called a hero publicly, and be distrusted privately and in the workplace? Dakota Meyer will probably always have somewhere to turn, not least to the families whose children’s bodies he brought back. (He’d asked if, at the same time he got his medal, there could be ceremonies for them, too.) But it is well established that being a veteran is a risk factor for homelessness.

There are other kinds of abandonment in the story, too, and many other questions, going back to the ambush itself, and earlier. Our troops’ position seems to have been betrayed by our Afghan allies; air support was denied, leading to the reprimand of a number of officers. The war continues, and it’s hard to say why.

BAE looks like crap in this case.  Hopefully, they get their clock cleaned.  Unfortunately, I think a lot of folks love to have their "support" of the troops make themselves look better, even though they don't really want to deal with the challenges those same soldiers face.