Veterans: Respond to what we've heard about life after deployment

America is learning how to serve a new generation of veterans. More than two million people served in Afghanistan and Iraq and they are returning home to economic uncertainty, government bureaucracy, and a culture that doesn't always understand the experience of war.

Reporters here at American Public Media want your help telling the story of the modern veteran experience. We've been reporting on wait times at Dept. of Veterans Affairs offices for a few months now and we'd like you to listen to a few things we've heard and tell us how they do (or don't) correspond with your experience.

This 90 second trailer previews some of the stories we're producing. Watch it and then take a moment to respond below.

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First Name *

Last Name *

E-mail *

City

State or Province

Postal Code *

Country

Phone

Below are thoughts from some veterans our reporters have met with recently. How do your experiences compare?

"It's not like you can really go ask for help when you get back. It's kind of a sign of weakness."

"The Veterans Administration says their goal is to process all claims within 120 days. In the Phoenix area, they're running at 376 days. So they're way behind that."

Do you have experience waiting for disability claims?

"The least our country can do is take care of us when we come back at our moment of crisis. Because we were there when our country had a crisis. Sometimes, right now, 'Thank you for your service,' is just not good enough."

What else should we know about being a veteran today?

If you have an original photo that helps illustrate what you described above, or just of yourself -- in or out of uniform -- please upload it here. (No larger than 10MB, please.)

Tell us a little about the photo: names, date, location, and the story behind it.

May we publish your insights (and any uploaded files) and attribute them to you using your full name and city? (Your comments may be edited for length or clarity.) *

Yes
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And now, three final quick questions to help us better understand your perspective:

In what year were you born?

When did you serve, where, and in what branch of the military? *

What do you do for work now?

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