The Battle After the Battle

Photo Obtained from Wikipedia

When we thank the men and women who have served our country this time of year, we usually thank them for past service. But this year, we acknowledge and thank you for the battles still being fought that are not as talked about. For many veterans, the sacrifice did not end on the battlefield. Some came home with wounds that cannot be seen, wounds that continue to claim lives long after the war is over.

One of the clearest pictures of this ongoing cost is the story of Sgt. Ty Carter, a Medal of Honor recipient from the 2009 Battle of Kamdesh in Afghanistan. Carter survived one of the most brutal firefights of the war, repeatedly running through enemy fire to rescue wounded soldiers. But when he returned home, he discovered a different kind of battle waiting for him.

Carter has spoken openly about the nightmares, survivor’s guilt, and crushing silence that followed him back to American soil. He once said that coming home “was the beginning of the hardest fight.” His honesty has helped countless veterans feel less alone and has helped civilians understand that war does not end when the uniform comes off.

Unfortunately, his story is not unique. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs:

• An average of 17 veterans die by suicide every day.

• Veterans are twice as likely to die by suicide as non‑veterans.

• 11–20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans experience PTSD in any given year.

• 62% of post‑9/11 veterans live with chronic pain.

• Over 450,000 service members have suffered traumatic brain injuries since 2000.

• More than 33,000 veterans experience homelessness on any given night.

These numbers represent daughters, sons, fathers, mothers, friends, and neighbors, real people, who carried the cost of war home with them.

This Memorial Day, as we honor those who died in service, we also remember those who are still fighting battles no one sees. The survivors, the ones trying to find a new normal, and the ones who still grieve the loss and trauma they experienced. Their courage, their resilience, and their ongoing sacrifice remind us that freedom is never free. May we honor them not only with our words, but with our awareness, compassion, and commitment to walk beside them in their healing. Together, we look forward to a time when weapons of war will be turned into plowshares and pruning hooks (Micah 4:3), a soon‑to‑come day when peace and love will reign for eternity.

—Benjamin Lawson