A War Like No Other

“We’ll have to deal with the networks. One of the ways to do that is to drain the swamp they live in. And that means dealing not only with the terrorists, but those who harbor terrorists. This will take a long, sustained effort. It will require the support of the American people as well as our friends and allies around the world.” 

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, in a press briefing, Sept. 18, 2001

Rumsfeld could hardly have known, when he spoke those famous words, that 14 years later the United States would still be highly engaged in Afghanistan, Northern Africa and other hot spots around the world to hunt down and destroy terrorists who seek to do harm here and abroad. The men and women who have served in Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa and other areas of the global war on terror have endured a span of sustained war unlike any in U.S. history. The operational tempo, in addition to multiple deployments and redeployments, has created a repetitious cycle of exposure to mental and physical stress and a requirement to quickly adapt to life at home.

If you have never deployed five times in a five-year period to multiple combat theaters where the enemy is adept at guerrilla tactics, blending with the indigenous population, and coming up with nonconventional and ingenious ways of killing you and your troops, you cannot imagine the physical and psychological demands faced by military members of this era. Not only have the active-duty troops been called into repeated action, but reserve and National Guard elements have deployed numerous times in support of the wartime mission all over the globe.

Not to elevate their struggles and service above any other period of war or peacetime service, but U.S. servicemembers of the 21st century face unique, unprecedented challenges. They must be able to use automation, computer imaging, electronic topography and other innovations in technology to function effectively on the battlefield. Coupled with that high level of practical intelligence, they must be ready – no matter their job – to become infantry soldiers and place fire on enemy personnel and equipment efficiently and decisively. The lines between “combatant” and “noncombatant” personnel have never been so blurred as they are today. Everyone is in the fight. And if they are unable to perform to a high standard, they or someone else may die because of it.

The unique characteristics of this war have led to specific outcomes for those returning to civilian lives. A report by the George W. Bush Institute on challenges faced by post-9/11 veterans found: 

• Employment and education are primary concerns of post-9/11 veterans because they affect so many other social, economic and wellness factors in the life of a veteran.
• The social and cultural distance between post-9/11 veterans and civilians – referred to as the military-civilian divide – represents a pervasive barrier to post-service life. Eighty-four percent of veterans say other Americans have little or no understanding of them, and 71 percent of Americans say they have little or no understanding of veterans.
• The media have not accurately represented the issues of post-9/11 veterans well, but can play a powerful and enduring role in shaping the narrative that will define this generation.
• Transition and reintegration concerns for post-9/11 veterans vary significantly by cohort. Veterans and veterans with disabilities are distinct populations with differing needs and priorities. Military rank, seniority and gender also affect transition concerns.
• Women veterans face a distinct set of challenges during and after military service. They are often more socially isolated, serve as primary caregivers in their families, are less likely to self-identify as veterans and participate in veteran programs, and sometimes have been subject to military sexual trauma.
• Post-9/11 veterans, particularly the youngest among them, are generally unprepared for the transition from military to civilian life.
• Family reintegration issues are among the most pressing concerns for post-9/11 veterans, yet are too often overlooked.
• While coordinated and effective policies and programs are critical at the national level, the most urgent need for support services to assist the post-9/11 veteran population is at the local and community-based level where veterans ultimately relocate.

As I work every day as an American Legion service officer to help veterans of all eras make life’s various transitions, I salute all the men and women in uniform who have taken the oath to defend this nation. As we address the specific needs and concerns of the post-9/11 era, I am deeply aware that their war has been like none before it, and our support for today’s newest veterans must reflect that. 

Like their predecessors of earlier war eras, all have given some, and some have given all. 

To all who have sworn to defend this nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and have borne true allegiance to that task, I thank you. You are all heroes. Nearly 3,000 American Legion service officers go to work every day and do everything in our power to ensure that our nation never forgets that.  

Cajun Comeau is department service officer for The American Legion of North Carolina.