WHAT VETERANS DAY MEANS TO ME
“I’m Thinking about Every American Who Serves.” by SETH MOULTON
I’m from New England so I’m used to cold nights, but the coldest night of my life was actually in one of the world’s hottest countries: Iraq. It was early in the invasion and we were dug into mud during a freezing rain. Our intelligence reports told us to anticipate an entire Iraqi armored division, with their best Russian tanks, to hit us that night. The basic assessment was that we were screwed. Our tanks wouldn’t arrive in time, and although the intel later proved wrong, it was a frightening situation, in addition to being freezing.
mental health care: making it routine. Just like an annual physical or teeth cleaning, mental health checkups should be routine. Last year, I got Congress to mandate mental health checkups for service members who experienced combat as that work, expanding the mandate to service members who
like drone operators. I’m thankful that veterans in Congress from both parties, some of whom have essays in this collection, helped me advance that legislation. We also need to make it that I thought to myself, “Why easier for service members to the hell am I here?” seek help outside the chain of Here I was, going to die in command. The Brandon Act, a this patch of mud nobody’s ever bill named for Brandon Caserta, heard of, while all my friends a sailor who was bullied and died back home were out at bars in from suicide because he couldn’t Boston. I guess my parents, who get help outside of his chain of told me joining the Marines was a command, would allow service terrible idea because I would get members to anonymously report myself killed, were right. And for and seek mental health treatment about ten seconds, I thought I had by using a safe phrase like made a terrible mistake. “Brandon Act.” But only ten seconds, Every American—from because then I remembered why veterans, to moms with I had signed up. I wasn’t a sucker, 2nd Lieutenant Seth Moulton on the way to Baghdad. postpartum depression, to and neither were the Marines young people struggling with beside me. I signed up because Truly believing in service – in their identity—deserves mental I didn’t want anybody to go in health care that’s easy to get. my place. Because I didn’t want servant leadership – is what A few weeks ago, Congress to be sitting in a bar back home gets us through. passed the National Suicide when one of my friends was Hotline Designation Act, a bill that I co-wrote with fellow for the rest of the night, I felt a veteran Chris Stewart (R-UT). It will become law this year, little warmer and a lot happier because I remembered that. On that which means pretty soon anyone, anywhere in America will miserable night in a land far away in a war that probably shouldn’t be able to dial 9-8-8 to get help with mental health. have happened, I was exactly where I wanted to be. This Veterans Day, I’m thinking about every American who service of someone you know, remember that it comes at a serves our country. Service to others is the only way any of us can ultimately justify freezing in the mud, sweltering in the jungle, or to serve those who have. Start a conversation with a veteran being stuck deep beneath the Arctic Ocean in a pressurized metal to better understand the cost of war. Get your lawmaker to tube. Truly believing in service—in servant leadership—is what sign on to good mental health care policy. And hold your gets us through. leaders accountable when they fail those who volunteer to These experiences can also take an often unseen and serve our great country. RF unexpected toll, and over the past year or so, I’ve talked about managing post-traumatic stress from my own four tours in the Seth Moulton represents the 6th District of Massachusetts Marine infantry in Iraq. When one of us talks about PTS, we in the U.S. House of Representatives where he serves on the break the stigma that prevents others from getting help. And that Armed Services Committee. He joined the Marines in 2001, ultimately saves lives. months before the 9/11 attacks. It’s why I also advocate for a revolutionary approach to 16
RIPON FORUM November 2020