On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, the firing stopped. The Great War — the war to end all wars — ended. Nov. 11 was celebrated as Armistice Day.
But just 21 years later, an even greater war began, and when it was over, Armistice Day became Veterans Day, a day for parades and solemn speeches, a day to thank veterans of every era for their service. The phrase “undying gratitude” gets tossed around with abandon.
But the true measure of our gratitude comes every other day. That’s when Americans demonstrate the sincerity of their words by fulfilling the promises we’ve made. And the record there is not very good.

There are 23.6 million military veterans in America today. Among them are 1.6 million who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
All modern wars produce fearsome casualties. They include not only the number of men and women killed, but also the much larger number whose lives are forever changed by serious injuries.
In World War I, that meant thousands who survived poison gas attacks or were crippled by ferocious shelling.
In Afghanistan and, especially, Iraq, it means thousands who suffered spinal cord injuries or closed head trauma from improvised explosive devices.
About one of every five Iraq war veterans reports having had a traumatic brain injury. Most are mild to moderate, for which care can be inconsistent or lacking.
On the day they enlisted, we promised those veterans that we would care for their wounds. That includes both physical and mental injuries. But we haven’t always fulfilled that promise.

Last month, the U.S. Army announced plans to collaborate with the National Institute of Mental Health to identify and treat risk factors for suicide. That’s a welcome acknowledgment of a large and growing problem.
The rate of suicide in the military has been climbing since 2003. It now is just 1 percent lower than the rate for civilians, even though military personnel are screened in advance for mental health problems and have access to regular health care.
But suicide is just one symptom of a larger military mental health crisis. The Army surgeon general reported a 46 percent increase in post-traumatic stress disorder last year.
About 300,000 men and women who served in Iraq and Afghanistan report anxiety or PTSD. Slightly more than half of service members with PTSD or depression sought help last year.
Veterans often face long waits for mental health evaluation and treatment through the VA system, even though the VA has placed a high priority on hiring more mental health professionals. That’s because there is an overall shortage of psychiatric professionals in the United States.
The growing number of female veterans also is putting a strain on the VA system. A bill introduced in Congress last year would have required the VA to create full-service women’s primary care clinics, but it did not pass. Female veterans deserve access to care that addresses their unique needs; the legislation should be revived.
It’s also crucial that Congress provide budget stability for the VA system. Like the rest of government, the VA medical system is dependent on annual congressional appropriations; that is, on the give-and-take of budget priorities.
Congress must recognize the unique nature of the nation’s commitment to veterans’ health care. Our obligation extends beyond today, when we officially honor their sacrifices, to every other day as well.