Efforts to Honor Veterans Should Include Maintaining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives.

Reassessing Our Commitment to Veterans: The Importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives

Every year on Veterans Day, Americans express gratitude for the sacrifices made by those who serve in the military. Social media is awash with patriotic imagery, and flags wave proudly in parades. However, for many veterans, particularly women who have served in combat roles, this display of recognition often feels superficial when critical support programs aimed at ensuring equity within the military and veteran services are under threat.

In January, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the cessation of all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, an action that accompanied plans to reduce its workforce by nearly 30,000 employees by the end of fiscal year 2025. These cuts have far-reaching implications, particularly for New York’s VA system, which serves over 600,000 veterans. A reduction in personnel directly correlates with longer wait times for medical care, increased backlogs in disability claims, and diminished capacity to address the complex needs of veterans, including mental health issues and housing insecurity.

DEI programs were established to address historical inequities within both the military and veteran services, which were never designed for the diverse population of service members today. The integration of women into combat roles only began in earnest in 2015, while service members from various racial and ethnic backgrounds have long reported experiences of bias, especially in areas like evaluation and discipline. LGBTQ+ service members have faced systemic discrimination, and veterans with disabilities often encounter significant barriers to receiving equitable care.

The need for DEI initiatives extends beyond mere symbolic gestures; they serve as important structural corrections to enhance effectiveness and fairness. Currently, women constitute nearly 20% of active-duty service members and, despite serving in all capacities, continue to experience disproportionately high rates of sexual harassment. Studies indicate that female personnel may advance at rates 2.5 percentage points slower than their male counterparts due to systemic biases.

Racial disparities further complicate the landscape, with data revealing that Black service members face significantly higher rates of military justice actions and lower rates of disability claim approvals. Female veterans have particularly challenging post-service transitions, as they represent one of the fastest-growing segments of the veteran population and are three to four times more likely to experience homelessness compared to their non-veteran counterparts.

These inequities are exacerbated for LGBTQ+ veterans, who frequently encounter unwelcoming environments in shelters and support services. The dismantling of DEI programs threatens to undo critical progress made toward addressing these disparities.

As Veterans Day draws near, it is imperative to reflect on the true meaning of honoring those who have served. Assigning value to all veterans requires a comprehensive approach to inclusion, transcending mere gestures of gratitude. The fates of our servicemen and women are intertwined with the effectiveness of the policies designed to support them, emphasizing that fairness in the ranks is essential for a robust national defense.

In New York, a state with one of the largest veteran populations, the repercussions of reduced DEI capacity are already being experienced. Women veterans, in particular, depend on VA services for essential health care and support, now jeopardized by funding cuts.

This Veterans Day, the call for greater transparency and accountability in addressing the needs of all veterans should resonate deeply. A nation truly dedicated to honoring its veterans must advocate for and implement policies of inclusion and equity, recognizing that true patriotism involves challenging injustices within the structures meant to serve. Gratitude for service must be accompanied by action that ensures justice and inclusion for every veteran.