The man in the arena

The Veterans Help Net team is committed to the mission of expanding the awareness to veterans and their families about the benefits and services they have earned with their service. 

In our effort to garner support for our efforts we visited with dozens of Veteran Service Organizations and talked to hundreds of veterans and volunteers. 

On this fourth anniversary, I need to reflect on my observations about the hundreds of citizen volunteers I met (some veterans, many not). A couple of things became clear:

First, there are a lot of passionate, committed Americans out there spending their time and money finding ways to better the lives of those that have served our country. 

Second, there is a big difference between. “thanking you for your service” and “doing something to help.”

That principle was never stated better than in “The Man in the Arena” essay from a speech given by former President Theodore Roosevelt on April 23, 1910, in Paris, France:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Roosevelt’s sentiment and message from the speech have reverberated in my mind and made me think about how our “Veteran Volunteers” have done exactly that: They have entered “The Arena.”

It isn’t the critic or the cynic that enact change, it is the man who steps up and tries to do something about it. 

Many have great ideas and incredible insight, but few are willing to actually enter the arena and do something to help. 

Ideas and good thoughts are nice but doing and acting are what makes the difference. 

It’s not “thank you for your service,” although that is thoughtful.

It’s not “I wish they had treated you better,” even if it is true. 

It is: “HOW CAN I HELP?”

There are hundreds of volunteers that have jumped into the arena and are trying to find a way to help. They comment with their actions and they express thanks with their deeds. 

Instead of offering good words, they offer a hand to help. 

The volunteers work every day to make the Veteran’s world better. They have “entered the arena” and they are making a difference. 

One day at a time. One veteran at a time. One family at a time. 

Find a place. Find a group. Find an organization. You can be “The Man in the Arena.” 

Veterans Help Net tries to recognize and support those volunteers by highlighting their missions and their good works. Let us know about your organization. Tell us about an impacting volunteer in the hope we can inspire others to enter “The Arena” and add good works to their good words. 

Attention Veteran Organizations! Send us your story. Tell us about your volunteers. Let’s fill the “Arena” and see what great things we can accomplish. In future editions of the Veterans Press, we will feature a “Man in the Arena” and tell their story of why they jumped in, how they are helping veterans and their families have it better, and how volunteering has enhanced their own lives. 

We hope these stories will inspire others to volunteer. 

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The Veterans Press will be adding a “Volunteer Opportunities” section and will post your request on our website and in future publications. Send them to [email protected] or go to our website veteranshelpnet.com and post your requests. 

Thank you for your service and … ”How can We Help?”