We must confront the challenges Black vets face beyond the battlefield

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This past weekend, I toured the Pentagon with a group of mothers from Jack and Jill of America. I felt their children’s excitement as they played in the halls, admiring the historical placards on the walls and envisioning futures for themselves in uniform.

It worried me.

I don’t place military service on a pedestal. Despite wearing our nation’s uniform, my allegiance has never been to its flag but to its people — namely, Black people. This tension has permanently colored my perspective on patriotism.

How about we take this to the next level?

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