Phoenix Houses of New York’s Military Services Program recently honored America’s veterans with a special screening of The Welcome, an award-winning documentary chronicling the experiences of veterans at a unique retreat.

We were all saddened to read about Robert Bales, the U.S. sergeant who allegedly killed 16 Afghan civilians, including nine children, just last week. Bales had reportedly been drinking before he left the army base, but we can’t blame alcohol for his actions—or can we?

To all the women service members out there who are battling addiction – and to their family members – please know that Phoenix House recognizes your sacrifice and is here to serve you and your specific needs. We are proud to count many veterans among our staff and are continually seeking to expand the reach of our services to ensure that no veteran goes without the care she or he deserves.

In light of the recent parade to honor the New York Giants, many people are arguing that our nation’s veterans are more deserving of a parade than our nation’s football stars. Phoenix House Board Member Tommy Gallagher, whose son served in Iraq and Afghanistan, suggests a more purposeful way to support our returning troops.

In his opinion piece The Antithesis of Charity: Investing in Our Future by Keeping Our Promise to Veterans, Eli Williamson, Co-Founder and President of Leave No Veteran Behind and a veteran of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, discusses how “keeping our promise to our returning veterans and investing in them so that they can positively impact our nation’s future is not charitable…it is simply the smart thing to do.”