For Veteran’s Day, A Call for Service Leaders
By: Alex Gray
Tags: Leadership, Veterans, Government, Public Service

Serving in the military was never an option I seriously considered because I began to go blind at age eight. The idea of serving my country in a branch of the military was one that I always considered noble, but was an opportunity from which I was personally restricted from due to the path my life had travelled. But that began to change over the past year due to my involvement with New Politics, a bipartisan organization which works to recruit service leaders with backgrounds in the military, and other national service organizations, to run for elected office.

I was connected to New Politics because of my time in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC) where I spent a year working with individuals experiencing homelessness in Sacramento, California in 2006 and 2007. My year in JVC was a truly transformative experience where I learned so much about people and myself. Working with anywhere from 500 to 1,000 individuals a day, I observed that homelessness was a complex problem that was impacted by so many factors including an individual’s mental health, their interactions with the criminal justice system, addiction and recovery, and by factors outside of their control like the increasingly high cost of housing. My time in JVC really strengthened and deepened my commitment to having a career focused on serving others.

Over the past year, I have had the privilege of participating in New Politics’ programming where I have had countless conversations with military veterans and alumni of national service programs about our service journeys. We talked about what it meant for us to serve. What our leadership mission truly was. And what it meant to lead with integrity. These types of conversations are rare, but incredibly meaningful as you begin to decide what path you wish to follow. These conversations played a big role in helping me take the next step in public service by deciding to run for Boston At-Large City Councilor in 2021.

I have been particularly struck by the conversations I have had with fellow New Politics participants who have military backgrounds. Their dedication to a cause greater than themselves; commitment to teamwork; example after example of bravery in the face of danger; and willingness to complete tasks, no matter the size or complexity — all have been a consistent source of inspiration for me. I will never be able to serve in our military, but these conversations have given me a small glimpse at what it is like and has left me humbled by the contributions made by these individual service members. They have personalized and put faces on the daily sacrifices made by members of our military.

There was a time, not that long ago in the 1970s, when over 75% of members of the U.S. House and Senate had a military background. That dropped to a low of approximately 20% this century before it has begun to slowly rise, thanks to the work of groups like New Politics.

No matter how you feel about a given military policy or action, I think we can all agree that those who serve in our military deserve our support both during and after their time in the armed forces. It is important to note that members of the military also serve our country during a variety of domestic natural disasters and sadly the efforts of the Coast Guard and other branches are becoming increasingly necessary as global warming contributes to more significant hurricane activity along our shores.

Our veterans give selflessly of themselves during their time in service. The impact of this service is felt by these individuals through the strains of physical and mental health conditions that persist long after one’s military career is completed. Studies show that 30% of those serving in active duty or reserve military personnel roles that were deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan report having a mental health condition. Sadly, only half of these individuals suffering mental health conditions sought out treatment contributing to the ongoing tragedy of 22 veterans dying by suicide on a daily basis.

On Veteran’s Day, it is important that we all take the time to recognize the sacrifice that members of the military have made for our city and country. It is also a time to call for more service leadership in all aspects of society including our government by supporting the work that groups like New Politics are doing. If we do, our city and country will be better for it.