They Swore to Defend Our Nation.
Who Will Stand for Them?

Every service member who raises their right hand and swears to defend the Constitution of the United States makes a solemn promise to our nation. They promise to serve, to sacrifice, and, if necessary, to give their lives in its defense. But who stands for them when the institutions entrusted with their leadership, protection, and well-being fail to uphold that same promise? Official annual reports for 2021 through 2024 identify 2,017 military suicide deaths and 5,925 reported suicide-attempt events across the Active Component, Reserve, and National Guard. CY2025 remains unconfirmed. At an assumed $500,000 Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance benefit per death, the illustrative maximum-coverage calculation exceeds $1 billion. Yet no dollar amount can measure the true cost. 2,017 lives. 2,017 empty places at family tables. Thousands of mothers, fathers, spouses, children, and battle buddies left wishing they had one more conversation, one more embrace, one more chance to say goodbye. These tragedies have many complex causes, and no statistic alone can tell us why a particular service member died. But every loss reinforces the importance of examining whether our military institutions are doing everything reasonably possible to protect those entrusted to their care. I respectfully urge your office to examine The Formation Accountability Project and its proposed Military Accountability and Service Member Protection Act of 2027 (MAPSA). This initiative seeks to strengthen protections against unlawful maltreatment, abuse of authority, retaliation, and intentional falsification of military records; improve investigative independence; and reinforce fairness, due process, and accountability throughout our Armed Forces. This is not an attack on military leadership. It is a call to uphold the very principles that make military leadership worthy of trust. Accountability should not disappear with rank. Justice should not depend on who wears the higher insignia. And no service member should have to choose between reporting serious misconduct and protecting their military career. I respectfully request that your office review the proposed legislation, meet with representatives of The Formation Accountability Project, and consider introducing or supporting legislative reforms through the National Defense Authorization Act. Our nation asks extraordinary things of its service members. We ask them to leave their families, endure unimaginable hardships, and stand ready to make the ultimate sacrifice. Surely, we can ask our nation to demonstrate that same commitment to them. Because behind every uniform is a human being. Behind every casualty is a family. And behind every oath is a promise that must mean something. They swore to defend our nation. Our nation must never stop working to protect them. Thank you for your service, your consideration, and your commitment to the men and women who serve beneath our flag. Respectfully, [Your Name] [City, State]