America has come a long way in how it treats its returning war veterans. During and long after Vietnam, some Americans added insult to injury as they spit and slandered those who served. Thankfully, in the era of Iraq and Afghanistan, we support our troops, as the ubiquitous saying goes. Still, if recent news is any indication, we’ve got a long way to go toward giving soldiers, young and old, the attention and respect they deserve.

While we find this Veterans Day that our vets are being treated much better by society in general, the reports earlier this year regarding rampant delays in the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital system prove we have progress to make in how we take care of veterans who have suffered wounds in the defense of the country. Three- and four-month waits for doctor’s appointments were the norm at some facilities, and then VA hospitals falsified patient records in an act to cover up the injustice. The head of the VA was canned, and a probe begun. It was a case of too little, too late, and veterans paid with their lives for the poor service of the VA system. This is something that just should not happen in our great country, which asks so much of our volunteer servicemen and women.

While many seek out the VA for their services, many don’t. And we’re especially worried for them. Veterans – holed up in their basements struggling with depression, substance abuse and mental illness due to wartime experiences – need to be met where they are. Like the biblical parable of the lost sheep, we need to go after these brave, yet forgotten, soldiers. It may be a gargantuan task, but the VA should in some way be checking on these former soldiers, making sure they are doing all right and getting them help if they’re not.

In other ways, we are doing well in looking after our returning soldiers. We particularly praise those business owners who make sure a veteran can resume work upon return from war.

Job training outreach has also improved in recent years, especially as veterans aim to gain employment in the post-recession period. The U.S. Department of Labor is stepping up to the challenge of finding employment for returning vets through a number of internship, apprentice and on-the-job programs. Online, the department has set up a step-by-step toolkit for employers seeking to hire veterans. Savvy employers know they are wise to hire vets, not only for their skills, but also for the intangibles such as devotion to duty, calm under pressure and for bringing a military bearing to their workplace. The GI bill is an excellent financial resource for veterans seeking to educate themselves, and, due to a federal law change enacted in August, veterans who have served at least 90 days of active duty will qualify for in-state rates at any public university starting in July 2015. This is a promising step that will allow GIs to get the education they need for the job they want.

We think more could be done at local Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and AMVETs posts. We know the leaders in these organizations want to attract younger veterans to come to meetings to find camaraderie among the older veterans, who are the backbone of such veteran-advocacy organizations. But we wonder how many younger vets are taking advantage of this source of fellowship. New, younger members will strengthen the posts and make them more relevant. These posts are among the best advocates for vets on the local level.

Then there are the charities that have formed in recent years to take care of those slipping through the cracks. Wounded Warriors Project is the leading charity devoted to vets who are injured physically or mentally. The need is great. Compared with World War II, during which 1.7 soldiers were wounded for every soldier killed, America’s conflicts since 2001 have produced seven wounded for each soldier killed in action. While technological improvements have reduced the number of war dead, the number of Americans wounded from Iraq and Afghanistan has exceeded 52,000, according to the Department of Defense. Wounded Warrior Project and others like it are there to care for the soldiers and their families struggling with these lasting effects.

There are a lot of positives this Veterans Day we Americans can take pride in, but there is more we can do for our veterans. And while we think globally, we can act locally. If you know a vet, thank him or her, and make sure the vet is doing all right. Because, as the Wounded Warrior Project’s motto says, “The greatest casualty is being forgotten.”

–John Balentine, managing editor