Editorial: one isn’t born a soldier

Photo: Kaitseväe peastaap

Tomorrow, for the first time ever, Estonia stands ready to celebrate Veterans Day. A day to thank those who, in independence era, have been to foreign military operations and helped secure our security by fulfilling international duty. These veterans of the new day are becoming quite numerous. All in all, we are talking about close to two and a half thousand men and women. The limelight will, naturally, focus on the 130 wounded and injured. Definitely, the 11 men killed at missions will be commemorated.

The word «veteran», for us (still) carries a different undertone than in some other countries. In the Soviet days, a Great Patriotic War veteran got in front of the line, at the store… to get groceries and consumables. On state holidays, the veteran visited schools telling tales of the victorious Red Army. And inspired satirical anecdotes amongst the people. Both veterans and their privileges became synonymous with the communist nomenclature.

In actual fact, veterans’ policy has always had to do with state propaganda. In a democracy, it is important to avoid empty verbiage. To avoid devaluing values meant to unify society. Avoiding foolish jesting. Even if Estonian public space has had its share of voices critical towards missions, the main feeling has been that of support to their importance regarding our security. Under the NATO umbrella, we have to help hold it up. Foreign missions have been one way of doing so.

Last year, before Christmas, Estonia’s government approved veterans’ policy created by Ministry of Defence and the Defence Forces. It’s filled with lofty phrases, but will «broad based support of state and society» and «comprehensive body of measures» promised by the document really reach those in need of help? Notifying the wider public – a goal of the veterans’ policy – is a noble thing. However, the «star spangled» concerts, explanatory leaflets and solid teaching on national defence will be meaningless, if, with the other hand, we saw the branch we’re perched on.

«A long and complicated gauntlet, the squirrel’s wheel of which will never be comprehended by anyone until caught in the absurdity of this machinery of committees,» was the picture painted of Estonia’s rehabilitation services by Estonian Patient Advocacy Association adviser Iivi Kallaste in Postimees, last week.

It was only last fall that the scandalous story reached the media – of members of Defence Forces, seriously wounded in Afghanistan, proclaimed healthy at Social Insurance Board. As, they said, the young men were doing just fine, moving about on their prosthesis!

Then there are those needing soul care entering civil live. This also ought to be noticed, for consequences may be sad indeed.

One Isn’t Born a Soldier – an often quoted title of a novel by the Soviet author Konstantin Simonov. Times may differ, but the idea remains the same, no matter what lead to the battle fields – ideals, forced mobilisation, or profession chosen.