• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Friday, May 9, 2025
The Iowa Torch
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
The Iowa Torch
The Iowa Torch
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion

Miller-Meeks: It’s time for Congress to support those who serve 

Mariannette Miller-Meeks: Supporting our troops transcends political differences and unites us as a nation.

Mariannette Miller-MeeksbyMariannette Miller-Meeks
July 11, 2023
in Opinion
Reading Time: 3 mins read
Miller-Meeks: It’s time for Congress to support those who serve 

Army paratroopers fire M119 105mm Howitzers during gunnery training at Yukon Training Area, Alaska, May 7, 2021. U.S. Army Photo by Army Maj. Jason Welch

Congress plays a crucial role in supporting the United States Armed Forces and ensuring they have the resources they need to defend our nation and promote national security. 

RELATED POSTS

Feenstra: Lowering the cost of childcare for our families

Grassley: History informs farm policies of today

Hendrickson: Iowa taxpayers win big in 2024

Our military personnel selflessly serve on the front lines to defend our values at home and abroad, facing danger and sacrificing personal comforts to ensure the safety and security of our nation. By supporting our troops, we demonstrate gratitude for their commitment and contribution to the overall defense of our country.

I served in the Army for twenty-four years both active duty and in the reserve corp, enlisted and then an officer as a nurse and doctor, ultimately retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. As a veteran myself, I understand how military service builds character, leadership and instills valuable life skills, and provides a strong foundation for both team and personal growth and success. Unfortunately, the Biden Administration has pursued polices that have turned many young Americans away from military service, undermining our military readiness and overall strength. 

ADVERTISEMENT

In recent years, our military has struggled with a severe recruiting crisis that will have enormous implications for our strategic position in an increasingly unstable global stage. There are several factors, exacerbated by the Biden Administration, that have made military service less compelling to young Americans. 

This started with the incompetent and disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Former military who saw a repeat of political miscalculations in Vietnam in the Afghanistan withdrawal began discouraging their sons and daughters from entering the military. 

The recruiting woes worsened with discharging service members who declined for health or religious reasons to take the COVID vaccine, upending careers and negatively impacting their hard-earned benefits. Thousands of service members seeking religious exemptions faced discrimination and the vast majority of claims were denied, unlike what is typical for other vaccines. 

These policies have contributed to the personnel shortages our military branches are grappling with, greatly affecting the strength and readiness of our military. Moving forward, it is imperative that these harmful polices are reversed, and that those resources are redirected toward strengthening the main functions of our military and improving the quality of life of our service members. 

Our military should be focused on national defense, supporting our national interests abroad and training to improve readiness. The primary mission of the U.S. military is to defend the United States and its territories against threats. This includes defending the country from potential aggression, protecting its sovereignty and deterring potential adversaries. The U.S. military also plays a crucial role in advancing and protecting national interests both at home and abroad by promoting regional stability, maintaining access to strategic resources and shipping lanes and safeguarding allies. 

We must also continue to support research and development efforts to ensure that our military remains technologically advanced and maintains a competitive edge on our adversaries. A well trained military should be modernized but not rely solely on technology for capabilities. 

Supporting our troops transcends political differences and unites us as a nation. It provides an opportunity for citizens from all backgrounds to come together and demonstrate solidarity and gratitude for those who defend our freedoms. This unity strengthens our sense of national identity and reinforces the values that bind us as a society. In Congress, I will continue to advance policies that ensure we have a strong and capable military that can effectively protect our national security and serve the best interests of the United States. 

Tags: 118th CongressMariannette Miller-MeeksU.S. Armed ForcesU.S. House of Representatives
ShareTweetShare
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Trump attacks Reynolds for Iowa Caucus neutrality

Next Post

Iowa Legislature passes six-week abortion ban for second time

Mariannette Miller-Meeks

Mariannette Miller-Meeks

U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, represents Iowa's 1st Congressional District, she was first elected in 2020 and won a second term in 2022.

Related Posts

Opinion

Feenstra: Lowering the cost of childcare for our families

May 2, 2024
Opinion

Grassley: History informs farm policies of today

May 1, 2024
Hinson: Use biofuels to bring down the cost of gas today
Federal Government

EPA issues emergency fuel waiver for E15 sales

April 19, 2024
Opinion

Miller-Meeks: Iowa has become a border state under the Biden Administration

April 19, 2024
Opinion

Feenstra: There’s no such thing as ‘canceling’ student loan debt

April 17, 2024
Opinion

Miller-Meeks: The time for practical energy solutions is now

April 11, 2024
Next Post

Iowa Legislature passes six-week abortion ban for second time

Reynolds signs fetal heartbeat abortion ban into law

Reynolds signs fetal heartbeat abortion ban into law

Recommended Articles

Polk County Voters to Decide on $65 Million Bond Referendum in November

Des Moines to Retire SmartCards for Parking Meters

August 3, 2021
Study: $1,702 Collected in Property Taxes Per Capita in Iowa

Hendrickson, Trabert & Williams: A proven solution for property tax relief

August 23, 2022

Hinson: IRS Does Not Need to Be Spying on Iowans’ Bank Accounts

October 8, 2021

Popular Stories

  • Three LGTBQ Books with Sexually Explicit Material Pulled from Waukee School

    Three LGTBQ Books with Sexually Explicit Material Pulled from Waukee School

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Rozenboom: Reflecting on the First Week of the 2021 Legislative Session

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Iowa Dept. of Health & Human Services fill two leadership roles

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reynolds Appoints Joshua Schier as District Court Judge

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Fauci ends taxpayer-funded experiments on dogs

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
The Iowa Torch

The Iowa Torch​ is a for-profit, news organization that focuses on political news as it relates to Iowans

Categories

  • Current Events
  • Education
  • Federal Government
  • Iowa History
  • Local Government
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • State Government

Newsletter

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.