BY JAMIE BARNETT
The yellow ribbon has become an iconic American symbol for a heartfelt welcome home, with all of the comforts and care that home connotes.
I remember yellow ribbons first for the American hostages in Iran in 1981, but then I saw them for my comrades-in-arms and me when I came home from Saudi Arabia in the First Gulf War. And in my last job in the Navy as deputy commander of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, I saw yellow ribbons as we welcomed back our sailors from service on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, disarming IEDs, protecting dams and sea-based oil rigs, and re-building the infrastructure.
I am extremely proud of their service and that pride fueled the warmth of the welcome home.
But our veterans deserve more than yellow ribbons and parades. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have added some2.5 million new veterans to the millions still living from previous U.S. conflicts. These men and women of 
action deserve our action. America makes a solemn vow to the men and women who serve the military: Dedicate your life to the protection and well-being of the United States, and we will care for those who have borne the battle and their families. This means those who have served should, at a bare minimum, have timely access to top-notch healthcare and educational opportunities aimed at capitalizing on their unique experiences and skills sets for competitive civilian jobs.
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