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Serving in the United States military is not just a job; it is a profound act of faith. The enlistment oath is a promise made by a young American to defend the nation, and it is built upon an implicit covenant that the nation will, in turn, honor its commitment to them when their service is done. Today, that sacred trust is fraying, and the consequences are no longer theoretical. America’s neglect of its veterans is not simply a moral failure, it is a clear and present danger to our national security, a self-inflicted wound that threatens the very foundation of our all-volunteer force.
The Canary in the Coal Mine - A Recruiting Calamity
The most immediate evidence of failure is the catastrophic recruiting crisis crippling the armed forces. An all-volunteer military can only survive if young Americans believe that military service is an honorable and viable path… and they are not making that choice. In the 2023 fiscal year, the U.S. Army fell short of its recruiting goal by 15,000 soldiers. The Navy and Air Force fared almost as badly, also missing their targets. These aren't just numbers on a spreadsheet; they represent a dramatic loss of faith in the institution.
Why is this happening? While many factors are at play, a primary driver is the testimony of veterans themselves. Today’s potential recruits do not see a nation that honors its warriors. They see their uncles, aunts, and older siblings fighting for years to get basic healthcare from the VA. They see headlines about the veteran suicide epidemic and the unconscionable rates of homelessness among those who served. The military’s most powerful recruiting tool has always been the proud veteran encouraging others to follow in their footsteps. When that veteran is broken, disillusioned, and feels abandoned, their story becomes a warning, not an inspiration. We are failing to sell the promise of military service because the proof of our neglect is on full display for every potential recruit to see.
The Ghosts of History - Ignored Veterans and Their Consequences
This is not the first time America has walked this dangerous path. Our history is scarred with examples of what happens when the nation turns its back on its defenders, and the results have been devastating.
Perhaps the most shameful episode was the fate of the Bonus Army in 1932. In the depths of the Great Depression, some 17,000 World War I veterans and their families marched on Washington, D.C. They were destitute and starving, asking only for the early payment of a service bonus they had been promised. They were heroes who had faced German machine guns in the trenches of France. But instead of compassion, they were met with contempt. President Herbert Hoover ordered the U.S. Army to drive them out. Led by General Douglas MacArthur, active-duty soldiers used tanks and tear gas to assault their own former comrades, burning their makeshift camps to the ground. The spectacle of the government waging war on its impoverished, unarmed veterans horrified the nation. It cemented Hoover's legacy as a failed leader and served as a searing lesson in the potential for civil unrest when a nation betrays its warriors.
Decades later, a different kind of neglect poisoned another generation. Vietnam veterans returned not to parades, but to a nation deeply divided by an unpopular war. They were often met with scorn, public indifference, and outright hostility. The government failed to adequately address the unique wounds they carried, both physical and psychological. The result was a national tragedy; decades of struggle with post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, homelessness, and suicide. This "lost generation" of veterans created a deep and lasting distrust between service members and the society they had sworn to protect, a rift that took decades to begin to heal.
A Debt That Cannot Be Deferred
From the Bonus Army to the bar racks of today, the message of history is undeniable: when we fail our veterans, we fail ourselves. The current recruiting crisis is not a sudden development; it is the predictable result of a promise broken too many times. An all-volunteer force is a choice, and young Americans are choosing to walk away. We cannot afford to let them, both generally and through the lens of today’s global political unrest. Investing in robust and timely VA healthcare, aggressively tackling veteran homelessness, and creating real economic opportunities for those who served is not charity. It is a fundamental requirement for our national defense. The first casualties of our neglect will be our military readiness, and the last will be our national soul.
