America’s New Insurgency
Disenfranchised Veterans
After over a decade at war, the United States now faces an unprecedented issue with the care and treatment of our veterans. Left unchecked, there is a real possibility of a new “insurgency” in the homeland. Disenfranchised, angry and highly trained former Soldiers, Marines and Airmen represent a real and ongoing threat to the homeland. If Timothy McVeigh can destroy a federal building with only one co-conspirator, what can a platoon of former military personnel who are angry with their plight do?
Returning veterans are killing themselves at previously unseen rates. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, an average of 23 veterans committed suicide daily in 2010. Of those, an average of 18 had served in either Iraq or Afghanistan. This alarming number is indicative of a societal problem that creates the illusion of hopelessness for many veterans.
For the fourth year in a row, veterans are having a harder time than non-veterans finding jobs, though the percentage of recent veterans unable to find work is in decline, according to a report released Friday from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But there remains a growing pool of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans whose unemployment rate still outpaces both their civilian counterparts and veterans of previous conflicts.
The unemployment rate for Gulf War II veterans—defined as those who served after Sept. 11, 2001—fell from 7.5 to 6.8 percent for the 12 months beginning April 2013. The non-veteran population, meanwhile, witnessed a bigger drop in unemployment over the same period, with last April’s 6.9 percent rate falling to 5.7 percent. New veterans have had a particularly tough go of the job market since the recession hit, with the unemployment rate spiking to its worst levels, edging close to 15 percent, in 2010 compared with just under 10 percent for the rest of the country during the same period. The recent negative publicity surrounding the Department of Veterans Affairs is indicative of the issues seeking treatment for returning veterans.
Combine the poor treatment and lack of employment opportunities with the disintegration of the governance structure in Iraq and we have the real possibility of violence initiated by former combat soldiers. A quick Google search produces hundreds of blogs, YouTube videos and websites of former Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines raging against the government. Their rants cover a wide spectrum of complaints and concerns ranging from poor treatment by the VA, the fall of key cities in Iraq, lack of engagement by elected officials and a general dissatisfaction with the way America has conducted the longest war in our history. To quote a sign at a military facility in Ramadi, Iraq, “America is not at war. The Marine Corps is at War; America is at the Mall”.
Every American needs to be cognizant of this new and alarming threat. For over a decade, the US military has fought well and has won more battles than lost. There is a highly trained cadre of former Soldiers and Marines who possess the requisite training and combat experience to create havoc in the United States. We need to pay close attention to our veterans. This should give new meaning to the “see something, say something” mantra.
