(NewsNation) — Sometimes you hear something you really can’t believe, because it’s so searing it makes your blood boil. For example, if one thing explains how upside down America is right now, it’s the U.S. Army telling soldiers who can’t feed their families to apply for food stamps.
It’s not that soldiers are on food stamps and the Army is fixing it. The Army is saying, “Thanks for signing up. Thanks for offering to trade your only option.”
I am not talking about Russian troops going hungry, or the Taliban not feeding their solders. This is the people who put on the uniform to defend all of us.
Inflation is so bad and Congress so dysfunctional they can’t afford to feed their families.
What are we doing?
Today President Biden visited Detroit to talk about creating union jobs installing electric car charging stations. But if we can’t pay our soldiers enough to feed their families, nothing else matters.
Biden is fine using the military as props, such as the Marines in his speech about MAGA extremism. But being president, being commander in chief, is more than laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknown during Memorial Day ceremonies. It’s about taking care of those that protect us. And we are not. Of course, the president didn’t say this. He won’t say it.
Biden left that up to Sergeant Major of the Army, Michael Grinston. He wrote a letter to the enlisted ranks acknowledging soldiers struggling to feed their families.
“SNAP is a U.S. government program that provides benefits to eligible low-income individuals and families via an electronic benefits transfer card that can be used like a debit card to purchase eligible food in authorized retail food stores. Service members and their families may be eligible. To determine qualification, visit the SNAP website or call the SNAP information line,” the letter read in part.
Of course, its not Grinston’s fault. He’s just following orders. It’s his soldiers suffering, and he’s just trying to help.
But think about that. We pay soldiers so little, they qualify as low-income individuals. Inflation right now is so high, men and women fighting in war zones wonder if their families can eat.
But don’t worry, we will have electric car charging stations built by union electricians.
Presidents of both parties don’t care much about military pay. Their domestic priorities are more important than soldiers’ pay.
We can’t recruit soldiers into the military. Literally, it’s the worst it’s been since Vietnam. Nobody is volunteering.
We should not wonder why. Who in their right mind would risk their life for a job where leadership tells you to go on food stamps. Its a testament to our soldiers that they do it anyway. That’s patriotism.
But we aren’t repaying their bravery. We are literally sending them to food pantries and then off to war.