As the United States becomes more deeply engaged in a growing conflict with Iran — through direct military strikes, naval operations, and an expanded regional posture — Washington is understandably focused on force readiness, deterrence, and strategic objectives.
Those are essential goals. But there is a question Congress and the administration should be asking at the same time: Are we prepared to care for the Americans who are fighting these wars once they return home?
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If the past two decades have taught us anything, it is that the answer is no.
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More than 3 million Americans served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many returned with invisible wounds — traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress, and the cumulative neurological effects of repeated combat exposure. These are not peripheral issues. They are central to long-term brain health and to the readiness of the total force, shaping how service members think, perform, and function during and after their service. Yet far too many came home to a system that was fragmented, slow to recognize those injuries, and poorly connected across agencies and providers.
I know this not just as a former Navy SEAL and national security official, but as a father. My son Ryan was a decorated SEAL who deployed multiple times. Like many warriors, he carried unseen injuries — what we later learned was an undiagnosed traumatic brain injury. In 2017, after years of struggling, Ryan died by suicide. Our family later discovered that the systems meant to support service members and veterans had failed to share critical information or recognize the warning signs. His story is tragically common.
Since 2001, thousands of veterans and service members have died by suicide. While the causes are complex, two failures appear again and again: a lack of connection and a lack of coordinated, brain-health-focused care. Both are solvable. But they must be treated as matters of national readiness — not simply veterans’ policy. Too often, what veterans encounter is something more insidious: institutional betrayal — a breakdown of trust caused by bureaucratic failure, fragmentation, and isolation at the very moment support is most needed.
One of the strongest predictors of suicide among veterans is isolation. Leaving the military often means losing the tight network that defined daily life in uniform. Programs that encourage veterans and service members to stay connected — to check in, to make that call — can save lives. That principle is the foundation of Warrior Call, which seeks to strengthen the bonds that sustain the military community. But connection must be matched by systems that work.
For years, the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs have struggled to build a seamless electronic health record system. The goal should be straightforward: when a service member transitions to veteran status, their full medical history moves with them. Instead, the process remains plagued by delays, incompatibility, and incomplete data sharing.
That failure has real consequences for brain health. Combat-related injuries — especially traumatic brain injuries — often develop over time, with symptoms that evolve and compound. Effective diagnosis and treatment require a complete, longitudinal view of a service member’s exposures, symptoms, and care. Without interoperable records, critical information is lost at precisely the moment continuity matters most.
At a moment when the U.S. is already engaged in a new and uncertain conflict, these gaps are no longer theoretical. If America is prepared to commit forces abroad, it must be equally prepared for the long-term health consequences that follow. That means doing far more for the veterans of the post-9/11 wars, many of whom are still navigating the lasting effects of their service. It also means recognizing that brain health is not separate from military strength — it is foundational to the readiness of the total force.
It also means ensuring that the next generation of service members goes into conflict with better systems already in place. That requires finally delivering a truly interoperable health record system across DOD and VA. It means investing in research, diagnosis, and treatment for traumatic brain injuries and other neurological conditions. And it means recognizing that strengthening connection is not symbolic — it is a practical, evidence-based strategy to protect brain health and save lives.
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America’s military remains the most capable fighting force in the world. But strength is not defined only by battlefield performance. It is also measured by whether the country is prepared to care for those who fight its wars.
As the U.S. deepens its involvement abroad, that responsibility is immediate. If we ask Americans to serve, we must ensure that when they come home, they return to a system worthy of their sacrifice.
Frank Larkin is the chairman of Warrior Call, a national nonprofit aimed at curtailing suicide among veterans and service members.
