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Congress plays a crucial role in supporting the United States Armed Forces and ensuring they have the resources they need to defend our nation and promote national security.
Our military personnel selflessly serve on the front lines to defend our values at home and abroad, facing danger and sacrificing personal comforts to ensure the safety and security of our nation. By supporting our troops, we demonstrate gratitude for their commitment and contribution to the overall defense of our country.
I served in the Army for twenty-four years both active duty and in the reserve corp, enlisted and then an officer as a nurse and doctor, ultimately retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. As a veteran myself, I understand how military service builds character, leadership and instills valuable life skills, and provides a strong foundation for both team and personal growth and success. Unfortunately, the Biden Administration has pursued polices that have turned many young Americans away from military service, undermining our military readiness and overall strength.
In recent years, our military has struggled with a severe recruiting crisis that will have enormous implications for our strategic position in an increasingly unstable global stage. There are several factors, exacerbated by the Biden Administration, that have made military service less compelling to young Americans.
This started with the incompetent and disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Former military who saw a repeat of political miscalculations in Vietnam in the Afghanistan withdrawal began discouraging their sons and daughters from entering the military.
The recruiting woes worsened with discharging service members who declined for health or religious reasons to take the COVID vaccine, upending careers and negatively impacting their hard-earned benefits. Thousands of service members seeking religious exemptions faced discrimination and the vast majority of claims were denied, unlike what is typical for other vaccines.
These policies have contributed to the personnel shortages our military branches are grappling with, greatly affecting the strength and readiness of our military. Moving forward, it is imperative that these harmful polices are reversed, and that those resources are redirected toward strengthening the main functions of our military and improving the quality of life of our service members.
Our military should be focused on national defense, supporting our national interests abroad and training to improve readiness. The primary mission of the U.S. military is to defend the United States and its territories against threats. This includes defending the country from potential aggression, protecting its sovereignty and deterring potential adversaries. The U.S. military also plays a crucial role in advancing and protecting national interests both at home and abroad by promoting regional stability, maintaining access to strategic resources and shipping lanes and safeguarding allies.
We must also continue to support research and development efforts to ensure that our military remains technologically advanced and maintains a competitive edge on our adversaries. A well trained military should be modernized but not rely solely on technology for capabilities.
Supporting our troops transcends political differences and unites us as a nation. It provides an opportunity for citizens from all backgrounds to come together and demonstrate solidarity and gratitude for those who defend our freedoms. This unity strengthens our sense of national identity and reinforces the values that bind us as a society. In Congress, I will continue to advance policies that ensure we have a strong and capable military that can effectively protect our national security and serve the best interests of the United States.
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