It’s been a couple weeks since our latest news roundup, and a lot has happened since then — Election Day, the Marine Corps Birthday, Veterans Day. There’s a lot to be proud of, and a lot of work left to do. We want to wish everyone a restful upcoming Thanksgiving. Rest and joy are critical to advocacy work — hold onto those moments when you can, so we can dig deep for the ongoing work.
Our ongoing commitment to defending democracy: At Secure Families Initiative we are committed to expanding all military families in our community’s access to and participation in the democratic process. Post-election, our mission remains the same: to ensure and protect our nation’s free and fair elections, advance diplomacy-first foreign policy, and protect the civil rights of all families. To advance our mission, we have joined together with The Chamberlain Network and Veterans for All Voters to form The American’s Creed Coalition. Read more here.
Furthermore, here’s what Secure Families Initiative Executive Director Sarah Streyder had to say about talks of a loyalty board with the incoming administration. :
A loyalty board to effect military promotions process would impact everyone in uniform. That’s why we’re on Capitol Hill making sure decision-makers understand the constitutional AND real-world implications for all servicemembers if proven leaders are subject to a loyalty test.
Native lands tool: As we reflect on our history and what our nation is built upon, on this Thanksgiving holiday, consider learning about the history of the people who once lived on the physical land that you live on today. This searchable map of Native territories, languages, and treaties was created by Native Land Digital, an Indigenous-led nonprofit based in Canada, to help facilitate conversations and document the complex history of the Indigenous People of North America. (Which Indigenous lands are you on? This map will show you NPR; Oct 10, 2022)
Now A Look Back at Some Headlines (Nov 3, 2024 – Nov 23, 2024)
Many military ballots won’t be counted until after Election Day (Military Times; Nov 4, 2024) “I have to plan far in advance, pay attention to early deadlines for military voters. I update my address each time we move. I receive my ballot in advance, and then I mail it back early, hoping that it arrives by the deadline. And even if I do all of these things, even if military voters do all of these things right, military ballots will still be among the last counted.”
How veterans are faring in the 2024 election (Military Times; Nov 6, 2024) A total of 189 veterans squared off in 170 separate House and Senate races this election cycle.
Pentagon chief directs military to conduct smooth transition to Trump (Military Times; Nov 8, 2024) Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin directed the military on Thursday to carry out a smooth transition to President-elect Donald Trump, with a reminder to the force of its obligation to follow the lawful orders of the next commander in chief.
North Korea Ratifies Major Defense Treaty with Russia (Military.com; Nov 12, 2024) North Korea ratified a major defense treaty with Russia stipulating mutual military aid, the North’s state media reported Tuesday, as the U.S., South Korea and Ukraine say North Korea has sent thousands of troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.
Harriet Tubman posthumously named a general in Veterans Day ceremony (AP News, Nov 12, 2024) Revered abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who was the first woman to oversee an American military action during a time of war, was posthumously awarded the rank of general on Monday.
Militants attacked US positions across Middle East over the weekend (Military Times; Nov 13, 2024) American forces in the Middle East came under attack on multiple fronts over the weekend, and U.S. forces struck back against the involved Iran-backed militias in recent days, the Pentagon and U.S. Central Command said Tuesday.
Trump, Biden discuss Ukraine and Middle East in ‘cordial’ White House meeting (Reuters; Nov 14, 2024) U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, longtime political rivals, discussed Ukraine and the Middle East on Wednesday in a cordial meeting designed to demonstrate a smooth transfer of power despite deep disagreements over policy.
Military suicides increase among active-duty and reserve troops in 2023 (Stars and Stripes; Nov 14, 2024) The suicide rate among active-duty and reserve troops increased in 2023 after the military saw an overall decrease the previous year, according to an annual report released Thursday by the Pentagon. The Pentagon reported an active-duty suicide rate of about 28 suicide deaths for every 100,000 service members last year, a 12% increase from 2022.
Biden approves Ukraine’s use of long-range U.S. weapons inside Russia, reversing policy (Washington Post; Nov 17, 2024) President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use a powerful American long-range weapon for limited strikes inside Russia in response to North Korea’s deployment of thousands of troops to aid Moscow’s war effort, according to two senior U.S. officials.
Pentagon chief visits island near South China Sea in sign to Beijing (Military Times; Nov 19, 2024) U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin visited a Filipino military base only miles from the South China Sea, a sign of resolve against Chinese harassment in the waterway that flared this summer.
We Need to Normalize Talking About How the Brain Responds to Severe Stress in the Military Community (Military.com; Nov 19, 2024) Severe stress can change how we think, feel and act. […] These changes can cause ongoing issues known as adverse posttraumatic neuropsychiatric sequelae (APNS), such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, and pain and somatic symptoms.
Military Diversity Is Not the Problem (Military.com; Nov 21, 2024) To the extent that the U.S. military is underperforming in its deterrence or combat missions, the research suggests it has little to do with an overdose of political correctness.
Russia fired new ballistic missile at Ukraine, Putin says (Reuters; Nov 22, 2024) Russia fired an intercontinental ballistic missile during an attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday, Kyiv’s air force said, in what would be the first use in war of a weapon designed to deliver long-distance nuclear strikes. The launch, if confirmed, highlights rapidly rising tensions in the 33-month-old war after Ukraine fired U.S. and British missiles at targets inside Russia this week despite warnings by Moscow that it would see such action as a major escalation.
SFI News
We have expanded our team! Read more about it here.