The Dishonoring of Our Combat Veterans

While today’s news will report on Russia’s involvement with the Malaysia plane tragedy and Israel’s expansion of ground operations against Gaza militants, some members of the U.S. armed services … many of whom are currently deployed in war zones … will be notified by the Department of Defense (DoD) that they will be involuntarily discharged from the military at the end of their current tours.  Why?  “Budget cuts.”  It’s as simple as that.

 

According to the New York Post, hundreds of Army captains have already been handed the devastating news, and more officers are expected to get it shortly.  Mind you: This ‘gutting’ of the U.S. military’s personnel is happening while our ‘former’ Cold War adversary and our Middle East ally are respectively involved in aggression and threat.

 

For what ought to be obvious reasons, this is an outrageous and heart-less way to say “thank you” to our combat service members.  It is astonishing that the DoD thought it would be appropriate to notify deployed soldiers — men and women risking their lives daily in combat zones — that they’ll be laid off after their current deployment.

 

As one U.S. Army wife posted on MilitaryFamily.org, “On some level I knew the drawdowns were inevitable; but I guess I never expected to be simultaneously worried about a deployment to Afghanistan and a pink slip because my husband’s service is no longer needed.”

 

The DoD’s handling of this situation is in the words of another – “a stunning act of callousness.”  But beyond that – It is just no way to treat American combat veterans.

 

And yet, as we’ve seen with the unfolding VA scandal (and now this), combat veterans are often forgotten and mistreated by the same government they “support and defend against all enemies … both foreign and domestic.”

 

While our brave men and women in combat are fighting our foreign enemies, let us at the “home of the brave” take on the domestic enemies.  We, the American people, must have “the backs” of our veterans.  Both our Congress and this Administration must do everything in their power to ensure these men and women are taken care of … while in the uniform and after they hang it up.  Wouldn’t you agree?

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel