Print edition: 
Last week's violence at Fort Hood set a shocking new standard for the potential risks faced by U.S. military personnel at stateside facilities. Yet the rampage, which left 13 dead and 29 wounded, also demonstrated why Americans can and should take tremendous pride in the courage and skill of their armed forces, on this Veterans Day and every day.
When the shooting started, the trained warriors at Fort Hood did their jobs, as did civilian law enforcement officers. Soldiers guided other soldiers to safety and medical attention. Tables and shirts were transformed into stretchers. A pickup became an ambulance. The wounded helped with triage. The makeshift bandages seen at the base hospital also demonstrated the readiness for battle of those who were part of the "controlled chaos" at the base's Soldier Readiness Center. "It shows me that when I do go into combat, everybody knows what to do," said Pfc. Jeffrey Pearsall.
Similarly, Americans know what to do to properly honor and care for their defenders, including those who carry physical and mental wounds home from the front and for the rest of their lives. Too often, though, the assistance and opportunities fall short of the obligations and good intentions.
There continue to be difficulties in ensuring that mental illness is properly diagnosed and treated in the military. The high rate of traumatic brain injury in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has been a factor, as has post-traumatic stress disorder.
It's also troubling that the numbers of homeless veterans have been increasing in Kansas and nationally. There were 712 homeless vets in Kansas in 2008, up from 689 in 2007 and 601 in 2006, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
To its credit, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is launching a comprehensive five-year plan to end homelessness among veterans that includes expanded support services and help with education, jobs, health care and housing.
As Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki said last week, "Those who have served this nation as veterans should never find themselves on the streets, living without care and without hope."
Local efforts to combat chronic homelessness should also help veterans get off the street and into stable housing.
The White House also set a good example for the nation's employers this week with an initiative meant to encourage federal agencies to recruit and train military veterans.
And a law newly passed and signed by President Obama last month should keep money for veterans' medical care flowing more efficiently.
Still, the health needs of the nearly 2 million Americans who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan will be a costly challenge in the years to come.
As the nation pauses today to thank veterans for their time and sacrifice, it must redouble its efforts to keep the promises made to them and their families. No Americans willing to go into harm's way for their country should wonder whether the country has their backs.
