As the nation remembers the events of Sept. 11, 2001, each of us has our own memories of that horrific day. For me, I wanted back in uniform. At 58 years old, I contacted the Pentagon, my last assignment before retiring, and volunteered to come back, join my brothers and sisters, and do my part. The answer was simple: “You’re too old!” I said I could “man the desk,” as I had done before retiring, only to be told I was too old for that, too.

Well, I tried.

For the past 14 years, I have worked with veterans, helping them navigate the VA. Thirteen years ago, at age 70, I became a VA patient myself. I have learned a great deal during those years, and I want to share some personal observations. These are my thoughts, not an official assessment or a scientific study.

As a Vietnam veteran, I often think about how different the wars of the past 25 years have been from my experience. Vietnam was largely a conventional ground war against organized North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces. Iraq and Afghanistan were predominantly counterinsurgency wars, where improvised explosive devices, roadside bombs and small-arms fire were constant threats. Many troops served four or more deployments, something that was far less common during the Vietnam era. 

At the same time, military technology and battlefield medicine changed dramatically. Body armor, communications, tourniquets, blood transfusions and medical evacuation systems improved enormously. In Vietnam, a wounded service member could often reach medical care within a couple of hours. In Iraq and Afghanistan, seriously wounded troops could frequently reach surgical care within an hour. Men and women who might not have survived their wounds in Vietnam were surviving in the post-9/11 wars.

I believe the VA changed dramatically, too. 

Vietnam was an unpopular war, and when we came home, there was little national focus on the long-term medical needs of Vietnam veterans. The experience of the veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan was different. Problems with access to VA care, long waiting times and a growing recognition of PTSD and traumatic brain injury received national attention. Congress responded with funding, leadership and programs focused on PTSD, suicide prevention, rehabilitation, prosthetics, caregivers and helping service members transition to civilian life. 

The lessons of Vietnam and Agent Orange also helped shape the response to toxic exposures in Iraq and Afghanistan. That effort eventually contributed to the PACT Act, which significantly expanded VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances. 

From my perspective, perhaps the most important change is this: the VA increasingly recognizes that the consequences of military service do not necessarily end when a veteran takes off the uniform. Sometimes they don't appear for years, or even decades. 

Today, VA hospitals are being measured against civilian hospitals, and the results are impressive. The VA health care system has made remarkable progress, just ask most veterans who use the VA. 

I know this because I have seen the change firsthand, from Vietnam to today. 

And that, to me, is one of the positive legacies of 9/11.