Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
WTF ... politicizing our military
Every June, the United States observes National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month—a time to recognize the men and women who return from service with memories and invisible wounds that cannot heal on their own.
I think about service members being deployed in American cities. Cities that are protesting the extreme and unlawful actions being taken by this Administration to fulfill a campaign promise of “mass deportation.” There was a time not long ago in America when soldiers returned home from serving their country only to be spit on. After 9/11 there was a societal shift, people began to say, “thank you for your service.”
It’s shameful the way our military troops are being used, especially the LA troop deployment. It’s more disgusting that it’s occurring between the commemoration of the 81st anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 1944 and the 250th Anniversary of the Army. We formed an Army to free ourselves from a tyrannical King in 1775 and fought to end fascism in WWII. Now these tyrannical tactics are unfolding on our own soil. This deployment to manage civilian dissent against the wishes of local officials is a dangerous escalation toward authoritarianism. It is an unlawful use of our military.
The Pentagon estimates the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles to suppress immigration raid protests will cost around $134 million, according to the Defense Department’s acting comptroller. Some were diverted from other important missions (i.e. firefighting).
President Donald Trump can’t stop using — and abusing — his legal authority to block the entry of noncitizens into the country. He is invoking Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows him to block any foreigner if he deems that their entry would be “detrimental to the interests of the United States.”
Project 2025 is being carried out swiftly in a multitude of ways under this administration. The Heritage Foundation has another manifesto “Project Esther.” This project is supposed to stamp out “antisemitism” especially the pro-Palestinian protest but the definition of “terrorist support network” they use is so broad that it could and likely be used to target virtually any form of dissent. We see this happening now.
This suppression of opposition is not just about removing immediate threats but also about sending a message to the other citizens: resistance could be met with severe consequences. The use of secret police, surveillance, theatrically staged raids and publicized crackdowns create an atmosphere of fear, to make opposition seem dangerous and futile.
Fascist regimes justify extreme actions like this by claiming that strong leadership is needed to restore order and national greatness. They portray democratic systems as weak and inefficient. Mr. “I Alone can Fix It” is forever promising to take care of it all. There is this sentiment being stirred and embraced amongst some that democracy is not that great so maybe it is time to try something else. Maybe a dictator isn’t so bad.
A reminder that what our military members are being subjected to and asked to do is wrong and dangerous for them and for the citizens they are being trained on. While veterans are being fired, healthcare and other benefits like SNAP are being stripped away or whittled down.
This Commander in Chief doesn’t give a damn about the men and women who serve and sacrifice in service to country. The military population is one of the most diverse. His administration’s red-hot hatred of any diversity, equity and inclusion, drives them to erase the contributions and name of people of color, women and gays from military libraries, websites, curriculums, ships, and military bases. Now dozens of Army museums around the world will disappear over the next three years as part of cost-cutting and efforts to align with Pentagon priorities like throwing a $45M parade for the draft dodging felon occupying the White House.
For service members and their families, who also serve, financial and emotional well-being are more connected than we often realize. Nearly half of the general population deals with financial stress, but military families face added pressures that can make both money and mental health struggles even harder. And black veterans were denied some benefits.
Remember PTS doesn't only affect the individual—it impacts the entire family. Spouses and children of veterans with PTS often experience secondary trauma. For veterans and their families, there is also a hotline through the PTSD Foundation of America specialized in providing referrals, information and resources. To reach the hotline, patients can call (877) 717-PTSD (7873).
Sources:
By the numbers: A look at the Army's 250th anniversary parade on Trump's birthday
Museums preserving history of 82nd Airborne, 2nd Cavalry among 29 on Army shutdown list
Department of Veterans Affairs PTSD Awareness Month Calendar
Highlighting the legacy of the U.S. Army’s first all-Black World War II paratrooper unit
Black veterans are less likely to be approved for benefits, according to VA documents