Working for the government has its ups and downs. There are days when I absolutely love my job and believe in everything I do. And then there are days – especially recently – where I lose faith in the system. Like allowing military members and federal employees go without paychecks just because Congress can’t negotiate – you know the main and fundamental part of their jobs. Yet they are getting their paychecks.

Usually the good days outweigh the bad. When I see leaders giving it their all, still showing up, putting in 110% and able to joke and laugh, I remember why I am here – to work on bettering lives for military members and their families. I want my work to be impactful – I want to advocate for these families. I want to provide military members and their families a great way of life, where they are proud to have served, and grown up a military “brat” – and not look back on those years as a waste of time, or the worst time in their lives.

Military families sacrifice so much – stability, grandparents, extended families, time together, careers, friends, schools, hobbies, relationships, and interests – as does the military member. Sometimes the ultimate, final sacrifice is made – and yet we as a country only seem to pay attention after the fact – when that final sacrifice is made, or a member is wronged, or when the government shuts down and everyone is concerned about military pay, because they recognize that most military live paycheck to paycheck. But also conveniently forgetting that a good portion of our federal civilian workforce are either spouses of military or former military members themselves.

Why don’t we do more to prevent these things before they happen? Mold in military housing – enlisted pay disparities – members pay being messed up after every move – lack of childcare or unaffordable childcare – suicides – sexual assault and harassment. All of these things happen – ARE happening frequently – and outrage may spark for a day, maybe two at most. But when we try to prevent them – diversity training, increase in pay and better health benefits (those who have Tricare know what I mean), money towards the people and prevention programs that help – people get upset. They claim political correctness or the military has gone “woke” and soft, so we need to stop it and go in the other direction.

But in the end nothing actually gets fixed, the problem continues to grow and fester. You have senior leaders trying their best to fix things, help their people, but are hampered by lack of funding and resources, hampered by government shutdowns, hampered by a change of administration every four years, and changing policies back and forth instead of actually determining the root of the problem and fixing it – and leaving it fixed. All of this causes additional problems – and none of it helps the military member or their family in the end, which adds fuel to the argument that nothing is working.

Balance is lacking. The military being truly non-partisan is lacking, and instead is another pawn in the game. When will balance be brought back, and military members and federal employees stop being utilized as collateral in these conflicts?