As our country prepares to celebrate her 248th birthday, I am keenly aware of two things: freedom isn’t free and it’s an election year. The former reminds me to cherish the sacrifice of men who dared to forge a new nation out of sheer determination and a willing spirit. That same fighting spirit inspired men and women of every generation after, including myself, to wear the cloth of our nation in order to preserve and protect freedom like those who came before us. But, on July 4, and especially during an election year, the Washington ruling class parades its patriotism like a talisman. I know I speak for many of us when I say we’re tired of being loved three days out of the year and used as pawns for the other 362. There’s a price for freedom and it’s time we start prioritizing service and sacrifice above empty promises and political ideology.
Twenty-two veterans a day.
The number is staggering and may even be a low estimate of the more than 22 U.S. veterans who commit suicide every day. Over the past 20 plus years, when the operations tempo was high and the turnaround fast, there wasn’t time to think about our time in the desert. We rubbed dirt in our wounds and moved on. But eventually the dust settled, and we exchanged our uniforms for civies. That’s when you realize there are bells that can’t be unrung. In the aftermath of war, we’ve begun burying more friends now than we did on active duty. Something has to change.
In my community, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are cumulative effects of a long career exposed to hundreds, if not thousands, of explosions. I’ve begun sharing pieces of my story to encourage my fellow veterans to seek help for any wounds of war, even those unseen, because you matter. Your scars, hidden by a smile or the busyness of everyday life, are real and worthy of healing.
In Basra, enemy insurgents launched improvised mortars against us every three days. In the early morning of my 39th birthday, a blast struck closer than it ever had, and I was blown from my rack. Dazed, I checked to see if I was bleeding. Everything was hazy and my head was pounding and my ears were ringing. As soon as my vision cleared, I was out the door, my only concern being the 225 men I needed to account for and make sure were safe. For years, I thought I was okay. The dizziness, the inability to concentrate, and a myriad of other symptoms had become a normal part of life.
It wasn’t until I was referred to the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE, a Department of Defense organization) that I was finally able to deal with the multiple wounds of war I experienced over my 20 plus years in combat. Thanks to the amazing doctors and therapists, NICoE taught me to read again, to handle bright lights, and to get better control of the stutter in my speech. More importantly, they taught me to deal with the emotional toll of the things I witnessed along with my brothers and sisters over the decades our country spent at war.
I thank God for programs like NICoE and other veteran and first responder organizations for what they do without accolades or fanfare. While politicians flaunt their love of the military and their families during an election year, they’re quick to cut funding or sacrifice benefits during the off years. They don’t realize how aware we are of our role in their political games. We know we are photo ops and props. We are votes to collect like trophies. In my home state of Virginia, programs like the Virginia Military Survivors & Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP), which provides education for family members of disabled or deceased veterans and first responders, have not only been willingly targeted, but used as a weapon in a sick game of politics.
On November 5, it’s time veterans have our own Independence Day. No more voting for politicians who claim they appreciate our sacrifice but pretend 80,000 veterans aren’t homeless and in need of physical and mental rehabilitation. It’s time we redirect the almost $1 billion per day spent on housing, medical care, and subsidies for illegal aliens so our young, active duty service members can come off food stamps and WIC to survive. It’s time we prioritize the warfighter instead of the culture to improve recruitment and make sure we can defend our nation. And finally, we must find a solution to the veteran suicide crisis. The soul of our country depends on it.
Hung Cao is a retired Navy captain who served in Special Operations for 25 years. He is a refugee from Vietnam and immigrant to the United States after his family escaped in 1975 shortly before the fall of Saigon. Cao is the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Virginia. He lives in Purcellville, Virginia, with his wife and five children.