On December 9th, the special operations community mourned the loss of Alan Yoshida, a combat controller who bravely served in Afghanistan at the onset of the Global War on Terror (GWOT). Yoshida’s death from cancer underscores a grim reality facing many GWOT veterans. Despite surviving the battlefield, these warriors are falling to an invisible adversary at an alarming rate: cancer.
This article is a summary. Please read the original article by Ethan Brown on the Defense One think tank website, here
Yoshida’s story is not isolated. Interviews with combat veterans reveal a disturbing trend of cancer diagnoses among those who served in post-9/11 conflicts. A British soldier and a German Army air controller are just two examples of the many facing this battle off the field. The statistics are sobering. While direct combat claimed 3,965 U.S. service members during the GWOT, cancer is now claiming lives at a rate nearly equivalent to wartime fatalities.
Research by the Hunter Seven Foundation highlights the severity of the issue, with 108 GWOT combat veterans known to have died from cancer in just the early months of last year. This rate is staggering, especially considering the otherwise young and healthy demographics of these service members. Over half a million veterans deployed post-9/11 have been diagnosed with cancer since 2001, suggesting a significant link between their service and this deadly disease.
The silence and inaction surrounding this epidemic are reminiscent of the neglect Vietnam veterans faced concerning Agent Orange exposure. The recent passing of the PACT Act, which mandates health coverage for toxic exposures, marks progress. Yet, the journey towards recognizing and addressing the health risks faced by our veterans is far from over.
As we reflect on the sacrifices made by GWOT veterans, it becomes clear that supporting them transcends mere acknowledgment. It demands actionable steps towards understanding and mitigating the causes of cancer within this community. The time to stand by our veterans, as they stood by us, is now.