This post was written and reported by freelance contributor A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez through our new Daily Kos freelance program.
The United States has faced a lot of polarizing issues in its history, but few have been as significant as the current conversation around the realities of unjust treatment in the form of police violence against black Americans. While far from new, this conversation became a permanent aspect of mainstream culture dialogue in August 2016, when then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first sat on the bench and then began kneeling during the national anthem as a protest against police brutality. The public (and some politicians) responded with warped perspectives, calling his actions a direct insult to our nation's military.
It’s been two years, and Kaepernick still hasn’t returned to the football field. And when Nike released an ad last week that featured Kaepernick, the responses were mixed. Some took to the streets and social media, burning their Nike gear and claiming the brand's support of Kaepernick was a slap in the face to the United States military, especially veterans.
As the military spouse of a black man who currently serves our nation, I’m rolling my eyes. It’s disgusting how the opinions of a few have co-opted the discussion on social issues. They have derailed a conversation about the mistreatment of marginalized citizens and instead centered it around national symbols and patriotism.
In hopes of adding necessary details to the conversation, here is a list of four issues that people should redirect their outrage toward if they are truly concerned for service members. These issues directly impact various critical aspects of the health of the American military and their families. (Spoiler alert: None of them relate to kneeling, Nike, or the United States flag.)
Increased risk for mental health issues
The American Psychological Association and many other organizations have clearly documented that current and former service members are at an exceptional risk for mental health challenges. The conversation often centers around veterans, but 1 in 4 active duty military members show signs of mental health issues.
Of course, the realities of life as an active duty service member are stressful. Long-term exposure to stress breaks down your body from the inside out, leading to cortisol spikes which can impair brain functioning, affect memory, and even reduce the size of the brain.
Chronic exposure to stress also leaves you at risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD), a potentially debilitating condition that can lead to depression, suicide risk, or (in a best-case scenario) nightmares.
The effects of PTSD weigh heavily on service members’ connections with friends, partners, and children. Feelings of isolation further complicate seeking treatment and finding support from loved ones. Many service members return home and are forced to watch as their family unravels from the inside out. Service members, veterans, and their families are all at risk.
Water quality on our bases
Earlier this year, more than 126 military bases across the country were found to have contaminated water. To be more specific, those bases, including my own, had water contaminants that could be linked to an increased risk of congenital disabilities, developmental delays, and cancer. (The majority of these were Air Force bases.)
Water is essential for all things. The fact that military members can spend their days defending our nation while their families are home with an increased risk of death from the materials used on and near bases is sickening.
Lead exposure
No level of lead exposure is considered safe, but for military families, exposure is on the rise.
Last month, it was revealed that some families living on our base might have been exposed to lead due to the materials used for base housing in certain neighborhoods. Many military families are left unaware that lead exposure via base housing isn’t a new issue, and is much more common than we would hope.
Lead exposure is harmful to everyone. It can lead to anemia, hypertension, renal impairment, immunotoxicity, and toxicity to the reproductive organs, according to the World Health Organization. But it’s especially hazardous for pregnant women and children. The potential consequences of lead poisoning include behavior disorders and congenital disabilities, as well as coma, convulsions, and death for children.
Mold is another common problem that is often seen in base housing and can have hazardous effects on health outcomes for military service members and their families. This risk is particularly likely for military families stationed in coastal areas like Florida.
Access to adequate health care
Managing all of these risks is challenging, regardless of healthcare access. But unfortunately, many military members struggle for access to quality care to address the above issues. Receipts on the problems facing military health care go back as far as three decades. Many facilities, including VAs, are severely understaffed.
For many current and former service members, it’s nearly impossible to get a timely appointment on base. At many stations (including ours) there are clinics instead of hospitals, and they’re often incapable of providing more than a routine physical exam. It also isn’t uncommon for reproductive services to be minimal, and for bases to lack essential resources like lactation consultants and other birth support professionals.
If you live in a town with many hospitals, this is merely an inconvenience. But at rural bases, there might only be one hospital in the entire city. This is particularly troubling considering many of us have Tricare Prime, a form of insurance that requires a referral to see off-base providers and specialists. And many providers don’t even accept our military’s insurance.
While protest against police brutality isn’t a threat to American service members, the conservative policies and privatization of military resources with minimal oversight are. If you love the U.S. military, advocate for increasing access to health care, the improvement of minimal EPA requirements, and better building materials for all military base housing. Otherwise, we may not live long enough to continue to serve.
A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez is a diversity content specialist whose work can be seen in The Washington Post, InStyle, The Guardian, and other places. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
