Commemorating Memorial Day: untold stories of veterans in America

Edition: US - Today's top story: Homeless vets with families: An untold part of veterans' struggles [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 29 May 2017 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note Homelessness is a major problem in many American cities. One positive bit of news is that homelessness among veterans is down almost 50 percent since 2009. But, as UCLA’s Roya Ijadi-Maghsoodi writes, there’s a growing population of [homeless vets who are single mothers or supporting young families](. New research aims to illuminate their struggles and guide the development of new services at the VA. On Memorial Day – the day Americans honor those who died in military service: how [veterans’ poems]( can help heal national discord; [a proposal]( for paying for America’s longest war ever; why we need to pay attention to “[moral injury](” among veterans and [four tips]( for vetting veterans’ charities. Today would also have also been the 100th birthday of veteran and US president John F Kennedy. Presidential historian Michael Hogan explains why [Kennedy remains so very popular]( with the American people. Aviva Rutkin Big Data and Applied Mathematics Editor Top story A homeless Vietnam vet begs for money on a Boston street in 2012. Joseph Sohm/Shutterstcok.com [Homeless vets with families: An untold part of veterans' struggles]( Roya Ijadi-Maghsoodi, University of California, Los Angeles Homelessness among veterans overall is on the decline. But researchers see an increasing number of homeless vets who are single mothers or supporting young families. On Memorial Day - [What veterans' poems can teach us about healing on Memorial Day]( James Dubinsky, Virginia Tech An Army veteran and professor of rhetoric explores poetry written by veterans about a divisive holiday born of the Civil War. - [Iraq and Afghanistan: The US$6 trillion bill for America's longest war is unpaid]( Linda J. Bilmes, Harvard University In past wars, taxes were increased to cover some of the extra spending. That's not the case for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the costs are adding up fast. - [What is moral injury in veterans?]( Holly Arrow, University of Oregon; William M. Schumacher, University of Oregon The inability to reconcile wartime actions with a personal moral code can create lasting psychological consequences for veterans. - [Helping military service members complete college]( Jonathan Smith, Georgia State University Every year, thousands of active military and veterans enroll as undergrads, but only half leave with a degree. What cheap and effective strategies could help our military complete college? - [Military-funded prosthetic technologies benefit more than just veterans]( Mark Geil, Georgia State University Devices created for service members and veterans also help civilian children, elderly people and young adults maximize their mobility. - [“...what is created for service members and veterans has benefits far beyond them, helping the nearly two million Americans -- civilian children, elderly people and young adults with amputations – maximize their mobility”]( Mark Geil Georgia State University [Read more]( [Mark Geil] - [Breaking down their own stereotypes to give veterans more career opportunities]( Eileen Trauth, Pennsylvania State University Large numbers of veterans hold misconceptions about IT work that discourage them from pursuing careers in the field. - [Want to support veterans? 4 tips for finding good charities]( Brian Mittendorf, The Ohio State University Some veterans' charities make the most of their donors' dollars, while others squander that money. Vetting these groups will help ensure your money is well-spent. - [US civil service's preference for hiring military vets comes at a hidden cost]( Gregory B. Lewis, Georgia State University The US government has long shown a hiring preference for veterans. But because of the demographics of the US military, this has limited the federal workforce's diversity. JFK's 100th birthday - [JFK at 100: Why we still cherish his memory]( Michael Hogan, University of Illinois at Springfield John Fitzgerald Kennedy consistently ranks as one of America's most popular leaders. A presidential historian argues that didn't just happen – it was the result of an effort to create an image. - [When image trumps ideology: How JFK created the template for the modern presidency]( Steven Watts, University of Missouri-Columbia Reagan, Clinton, Obama and Trump would all pull from the Kennedy playbook, from mastering the media to exuding masculine vitality. Trending on Site - [America's worsening global reputation could put billions in US exports at risk]( Daniel Korschun, Drexel University; Boryana V Dimitrova, Drexel University; Yoto V. Yotov, Drexel University Surveys show Trump's election is damaging America's reputation abroad, which research suggests could deal a sharp blow to US trade. - [How do the chemicals in sunscreen protect our skin from damage?]( Kerry Hanson, University of California, Riverside Energy from the sun's rays can cause skin damage and cancers. Sunscreens can absorb or reflect the dangerous UV light. Here's how it works. - [What's behind the fidget spinner fad?]( Joel Best, University of Delaware Adults are dumbfounded – and according to an expert on fads, that's probably the point. [Donate and keep independent journalism alive]( [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. 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