Each year for the last four years, as I sit down to write my annual Veteran’s Day article—a reflection that means a great deal to me—I find myself wishing I could tell a different story. I want to share a success story: one where America has found homes for the 55,000 homeless veterans across the country and where alternative mental health resources are provided at no charge to these remarkable men and women who’ve already paid with their bravery. But that story remains a dream.
Instead, we confront a harsh reality. America’s veterans continue to face enormous challenges, from inadequate housing to insufficient healthcare. Although leaders frequently talk about supporting veterans, our national actions tell a different priority. While thousands of homeless veterans remain underserved across the country, billions of dollars are being allocated to housing, healthcare, and support services for illegal immigrants. Our current system continues our veterans behind, deprioritizing them in favor of other agendas.
This troubling gap extends beyond policies and funding. Additionally, we are seeing a shift in our culture nationwide that has left younger generations without a full and accurate understanding of the many life-altering sacrifices made by those who served. Schools and colleges are increasingly more focused on social activism, which often comes at the expense of historical context that fosters genuine appreciation for the men and women in uniform and the freedoms they’ve safeguarded.
Recent decisions, such as the costly 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal, have left wounds that run deep. These actions conveyed to those who serve that their brave sacrifices can be easily disregarded. When leaders shirk accountability for such consequences, they diminish the sacrifices of those who served, damaging morale and discourage future recruits.
This Veteran’s Day, which coincides with Election Day, I reflect on America’s repeated promises to veterans, promises that too often stop at words. The notable budget increases, respect for service members, and strengthened military health initiatives seen from 2016 to 2020 have faded in the last four years. Today, veterans’ needs are met with bureaucratic inefficiency and political posturing. Veterans have become more of a talking point than a priority–leaving far too many vulnerable to fall through the cracks. We must remember veterans and service members serve the people of this country, not any particular administration or agenda. Still, time and again, we see their service politicized. Veterans deserve better than to be pawns in partisan battles; they deserve to be treated with honor and dignity, regardless of shifting political winds, with officials picking them up and putting them down as they see fit.
Parades and words of gratitude are not enough. Our veterans need real, tangible support. This includes communities to rally around them and truly demonstrate the honor and respect they’ve earned through action. It’s time we stop waiting for political solutions and begin to act as a united people. We have the power to make a difference. Our communities and organizations should offer veteran services from career mentorship to mental health resources to innovative housing solutions. Together, we must work toward a future where every veteran has access to a strong, supportive network that honors their service and helps them thrive in civilian life.
This Veteran’s Day, let’s honor them not just with our words but with our actions, and refuse the priorities of those playing politics and instead give our men and women in uniform the care and respect they deserve.