A Veterans Day like No Other : We Will Overcome
/By: Lt Col Jonathon P. Myers (USMC Retired)
I spent 28 years of my life as an officer of Marines. It was my first job, one that I started at 17 years old as an officer candidate and held until I was 50, working for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs. I transitioned from active duty to the reserves and had other jobs over the years, but being an officer of Marines was and continues to be my life. The War on Terror following the attacks of September 11, 2001, lasted for 20 of those 28 years. My entire career, and the entire careers of countless other service members from every service and every walk of life, was dominated by this war. Some people joined in the days following 9/11 and spent their careers knowing nothing but this war.
Many people believe that with the disastrous withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan there will be a lot of damage to undo, but ultimately they feel a sense of relief that the war is “finally over.” The problem is that it’s not over at all; it’s only on pause. The enemies of the US will use this time to strategically regroup and take inventory of their newfound power, filling the vacuum left by the diplomatic defeat we suffered at home and abroad. We will see our adversaries, including transnational terror groups as well as nations such as China and Russia, emboldened and bolstered by the disenchanted rhetoric of our longtime allies who have lost confidence in this great nation. Despite its apparent end, this war will go on and new wars will emerge; only now it will be our children who will fight them. Maybe next month, maybe next year, maybe in five years. But they will fight, whether they want to or not.
While nearly all Americans agree that we should have left Afghanistan, there is almost universal agreement that our exit strategy was the most poorly executed of all military withdrawals in the history of our country. As we absorb the impact of this failure, a new generation of veterans is already born, already spending early fall evenings playing until dark on the playgrounds, already engrossed in the new school year, homework and friends. None of them know what awaits them at the dawn of their service. But many of us veterans know full well. It will bring a call to duty, a selflessness that most people never get to experience, and tragedies that most can’t even imagine.
This Veterans Day feels more significant than any Veterans Day of my lifetime. Today’s generation of veterans needs your support now more than ever. In almost an instant, one bad policy decision minimized every successful combat engagement they executed against inferior forces. The political defeat of the United States in Afghanistan has left between two and three million veterans of both Afghanistan and Iraq feeling as though their service and sacrifice may have been in vain. Today you will find them actively reaching out to each other, conducting “buddy checks” to make sure their friends and comrades aren’t contemplating self-harm or engaging in self-destructive behavior.
Although they have each other, this generation of veterans also needs to be recognized and acknowledged by the general public for the significant sacrifices they have made. When service members choose to serve in the military, they sacrifice many of their own freedoms, time with their loved ones, their physical and mental health and sometimes even their lives. On this Veterans Day, look for ways to thank our veterans for all they have given to keep America safe.
Every veteran of the War on Terror has a story to tell. Traditionally, veterans share these stories only among themselves, locking up their emotions and experiences when they encounter friends and family whom they assume “just wouldn’t get it.” Americans owe a debt of gratitude to these veterans, and should seek out, engage, and listen to them whenever possible. It is with the acknowledgment of their service and the listening of the stories that citizens can honor their sacrifices and better understand their struggles, especially during this delicate period. One of the greatest regrets of my life is that I never asked my own grandfather about his experiences in World War II, and he will never know how much I valued his service. It is for this same reason that I wrote my own memoir of service for my children, so that they will never experience that regret.
On this Veterans Day like no other in recent history, I encourage all Americans to go beyond the now-common homage of, “Thank you for your service.” This year, challenge yourself to actually engage with a veteran, learn their story, draw it out, and begin the process of helping that veteran to understand that their service was not in vain. Lift them up, where they belong. As we give voice to their sacrifices, we will recover as veterans, we will recover our national pride, and America will regain its position of power on the world stage.
Jonathan P. Myers was born into a family of CIA operatives and high-level intelligence officials. He served 28 years as an intelligence officer, continuing a grand tradition of military service started by ancestors who helped to establish the Jamestown settlement. Lt. Col. Myers was involved in many high-profile national security events from 1990-2020. He resides on a farm in Virginia with his wife and three children.
