評論
打印
And so, as we evaluated, and as the dust settled from this tragedy,
經歷這個悲劇后
we realized that, of those two problems --
我們重新思考了這兩個問題
in the initial iteration of our organization,
最初我們這個組織
we were a disaster response organization that was using veteran service.
是個聘用退役軍人的災難管理組織
We had a lot of success,
當時我們已經相當成功
and we really felt like we were changing the disaster response paradigm.
我們也覺得我們改革了災難管理的原狀
But after Clay, we shifted that focus, and suddenly, now moving forward,
但是克萊之后，我們改變了方向，向前發展，
we see ourselves as a veteran service organization that's using disaster response.
我把我們自己視為一個應對災難的退役軍人組織
Because we think that we can give that purpose
因為我們認為我們能夠重新
and that community and that self-worth back to the veteran.
賦予退役軍人的對社群、人生目標和自我認同
And tornadoes in Tuscaloosa and Joplin, and then later Hurricane Irene,
在塔斯卡盧薩和喬普林市發生風災后，還有后來的颶風艾琳，
gave us an opportunity to look at that.
我們有機會看清這一點
Now I want you to imagine for a second an 18-year-old boy
現在我要你想像一個十八歲的男孩
who graduates from high school in Kansas City, Missouri.
剛剛從密蘇里州堪薩斯市的高中畢業
He joins the Army. The Army gives him a rifle.
加入了軍隊，軍隊給了他一支步槍
They send him to Iraq.
把他送到伊拉克
Every day he leaves the wire with a mission.
每一天他離開軍營去參加任務
That mission is to defend the freedom of the family that he left at home.
捍衛他在家鄉親人的自由
It's to keep the men around him alive.
確保他身邊的戰友活命
It's to pacify the village that he works in.
維持他前往的那個村莊的和平
He's got a purpose.
他有目標。
But he comes home Kansas City, Missouri, maybe he goes to college, maybe he's got a job,
但是回到堪薩斯城，也許他到學院上課，也許他找到工作
but he doesn't have that same sense of purpose.
他不再有同樣的目標感
You give him a chainsaw. You send him to Joplin, Missouri after a tornado, he regains that.
你給他一把鏈鋸，在颶風過后，派他到喬普林市，他就找回了目標。
Going back, that same 18-year-old boy graduates from high school in Kansas City, Missouri, joins the Army,
回顧過去，那個同樣的十八歲男孩從密蘇里州堪薩斯市畢業，加入軍隊
the Army gives him a rifle, they send him to Iraq.
軍隊給他步槍，派遣他到伊拉克
Every day he looks into the same sets of eyes around him.
每一天他面對同樣的臉孔
He leaves the wire. He knows that those people have his back.
離開軍營，他知道這些隊友會關照他
He's slept in the same sand. They've lived together.
他們睡在同樣的沙地。他們一起生活。
They've eaten together. They've bled together.
他們一起吃飯。他們一起打拼。
He goes home to Kansas City, Missouri.
這個男孩回到堪薩斯市
He gets out of the military. He takes his uniform off.
他退出軍隊，褪下軍服
He doesn't have that community anymore.
他沒有同樣的團隊了
But you drop 25 of those veterans in Joplin, Missouri, they get that sense of community back.
但是當你遣送25個退役軍人到喬普林市，他們找回同樣的社群感
Again, you have an 18-year-old boy who graduates high school in Kansas City.
再一次，十八歲的男孩從堪薩斯市的高中畢業
He joins the Army. The Army gives him a rifle.
加入軍隊。軍隊給他步槍
They send him to Iraq.
送他到伊拉克
They pin a medal on his chest. He goes home to a ticker tape parade.
在他的胸前別上徽章。然后他回國參加退役閱兵儀式
He takes the uniform off. He's no longer Sergeant Jones in his community.
褪下軍服后，他就不再是隊伍中的瓊斯中士
He's now Dave from Kansas City.
他現在是堪薩斯市的大衛
He doesn't have that same self-worth.
他沒有同樣的個人認同感
But you send him to Joplin after a tornado,
但是當颶風后你送他到喬普林市
and somebody once again is walking up to him
會有人走到他面前
and shaking their hand and thanking them for their service,
握他的手，感謝他的服務
now they have self-worth again.
現在他們又有同樣的個人認同感了
I think it's very important, because right now somebody needs to step up,
我認為這是很重要的，因為現在總需要有人站出來
and this generation of veterans has the opportunity to do that if they are given the chance.
而恰恰我們這一代的退役軍人做得到，只要我們給他們機會
Thank you very much.
謝謝大家
