Editorial, Opinion

EDIT: Navy SEAL suffers lack of benefits

The Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden back in 2011 is reportedly struggling to reintegrate himself back into normal life. In a recent article in Esquire magazine, the shooter broke his silence about his life post-Osama, revealing that he has neither a job nor insurance, and is worried about the well-being of his family.

The SEAL left the Navy last September after 16 years of service. He was four years short of receiving health insurance and his pension, according to Esquire. He has also been unlucky with the job search — many jobs require that his family abandon their current name and with it, their current lives.

Why has the United States failed so in providing their military heroes with the benefits and post-service security they deserve? Osama’s shooter quit the Navy four years before he was guaranteed to receive benefits, which means benefits only come to those who serve in the military if they serve for the entire duration of twenty years. Indeed, it is important to secure the will to serve from those who sign up to protect the country. But 20 years of service is a long time, and military life can be particularly taxing.

Any service to the country should guarantee an individual in the military post-service benefits. There ought to be community in which ex-soldiers can enjoy a system of benefits, like job searches, family relocation and health insurance. Hopefully, the controversial and eye-opening Esquire story will encourage military and government officials to take action on behalf of their forlorn hero.

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