Sharper: Serving America's Veterans

As America’s military continues to struggle to meet recruiting targets, the proper treatment of veterans and servicemembers is increasingly vital to ensure the All-Volunteer Force continues to attract and retain talent. Despite the post-9/11 surge in support of veterans, often referred to as the “sea of goodwill,” services across the country continue to be a patchwork, with some veteran communities’ needs being met better than others. From the federal to the local level, many veteran services are underfunded or lacking resources, creating a disconnect between what they provide and what their communities need. CNAS experts are sharpening the conversation about the challenges veterans face. Continue reading this edition of Sharper to explore their ideas and recommendations.

Features

Fireside Chat with the Hon. Kathleen Hicks Deputy Secretary of Defense

The United States marked the 50th Anniversary of the All-Volunteer Force on July 1, 2023. To reflect on the challenges and opportunities the services face in the next 50 years, Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks joined Katherine Kuzminski, Deputy Director of Studies and Director of the Military, Veterans and Society Program at CNAS, for a virtual conversation. They discussed military professionalism, challenges to recruitment, service member retention, and policy options for a resilient future force.

Greater San Antonio Military & Veteran Family Needs Assessment

This CNAS report takes a holistic look at the lives of the military community—including military personnel, veterans, and their families—in Greater San Antonio. The report serves as the culmination of a vast body of original research conducted over a year-long study. Authors Katherine Kuzminski, Nathalie Grogan, and Celina Pouchet draw from original data to identify challenges and make recommendations for local government, academic institutions, and military and veteran-serving organizations about how to best serve the San Antonio military community.

State Veteran Benefit Finder

In the post-9/11 era, a “sea of goodwill” made up of organizations in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors has formed to support veterans, servicemembers, their families, and survivors. While services from nonprofit organizations and federal agencies are widely known, benefits offered by states to veterans are less so. State-level benefits, though extensive, vary widely and are often difficult to identify. With this State Veteran Benefit Finder, CNAS makes information about 1,871 identified benefits easily searchable. This tool allows users to filter state-level veteran benefits by type of benefit, beneficiary, and state to identify benefits for which they may be eligible, providing a unique and invaluable reference.

Protecting the Protectors: Preventing and Mitigating Domestic Violent Extremism in the Military, Veterans and Law Enforcement Communities

In recent years, the involvement of currently serving military members and law enforcement officers, as well as veterans of those two professions, in domestic violent extremist organizations and activities has received public attention. While they represent the minority of those engaged in domestic violent extremism (DVE), their participation merits additional scrutiny, given the nature of their profession. A report from authors Carrie Cordero, Katherine Kuzminski, Arona Baigal, and Josh Campbell reviews military, veteran, and law enforcement efforts to counter domestic violent extremism in their communities.

Transitioning to Tech

Throughout their military service, transitioning service members and veterans gain both technical experience and soft skills that are highly valued by employers in the technology sector. However, veterans may hold limiting beliefs about the potential for a career in this field. A paper by authors Jason Dempsey, Katherine Kuzminski, Nathalie Grogan, and Cody Kennedy addresses the perceptions of transitioning service member and veterans’ opportunities in the technology sector.

Commentaries

What We’re Getting Wrong about Veterans

“Our nation’s veterans are entering the most dangerous days of their lives,” writes Christopher Kolenda in YFS Magazine. “Already, we’ve lost more to suicide and substance abuse than to enemy fire, and the situation will worsen in the coming years as veterans approach midlife. Twenty-two veterans die daily by suicide, and over 30,000 have done so since 9/11. This is a startling figure compared to the 7,000-plus soldiers who have been killed in wars since that time. Most soldiers who experience intense combat—where you’re killing and wounding and seeing people killed and wounded; where you’re urinating in tubes and defecating in barrels; where you face hardship, heartache, and heartbreak—are only 18 to 27 years old.”

The All-Volunteer Force Is in Crisis

“The AVF gave most Americans the freedom to be indifferent to their military, shifting the burden of service to a smaller, self-selected cohort of citizens,” observe Jason Dempsey and Gil Barndollar in The Atlantic. “The AVF receives endless accolades; American politicians often refer to it as “the finest fighting force the world has ever known.” But despite 20 years of war and military interventions with mixed results, the all-volunteer force has been subject to little debate about whether it’s still the right force for America.”

California’s the Only State That Fully Taxes Military Pensions. This Bill Would Change That.

“From the Civil War to the global war on terrorism, Californians have a long and proud history of coming to the nation’s defense in times of conflict,” argues Brandon J. Archuleta in The San Diego Union-Tribune. “Indeed, California is home to more active-duty troops and veterans than any other state in the union. Yet the Golden State is hemorrhaging military retirees, and has been for years, because California is the only state in the Union that fully taxes military pensions. With the state’s population declining in recent years, military retirees are an industrious group of citizens that California can ill afford to lose. As a California native and expert on military retirement policy, I believe exempting military pensions from state income taxes is one way to help address this problem.”

In the News

Featuring commentary and analysis from Katherine Kuzminski, Nathalie Grogan, Jason Dempsey, and Tobias Switzer.

About the Sharper Series

The CNAS Sharper series features curated analysis and commentary from CNAS experts on the most critical challenges in U.S. foreign policy. From the future of America's relationship with China to the state of U.S. sanctions policy and more, each collection draws on the reports, interviews, and other commentaries produced by experts across the Center to explore how America can strengthen its competitive edge.

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