Welcoming Heroes Home
This week, Delaware’s 261st Theater Tactical Signal Brigade returned after nine months of critical service abroad. Led by LTC Aaron Black II and SGM Douglas Neal, these soldiers ensured seamless communications for two major operations. Their work kept our forces connected in high-pressure environments, enabling decisions that saved lives. Their homecoming fills us with pride, yet it also raises urgent questions. These heroes gave their all. What do we owe them now?
Their mission demanded extraordinary skill. They managed satellite links, secured data networks, and relocated command posts in minutes. This work forms the backbone of modern warfare, ensuring operational success. But as we celebrate, a deeper challenge emerges. For many soldiers, the hardest fight begins when they return to civilian life.
The Real Cost of Service
Each year, about 200,000 service members leave the military. For units like the 261st, reintegration brings unique struggles. Many find it hard to translate their technical expertise into civilian jobs. Others face emotional hurdles, from PTSD to anxiety, as they adjust to life without military structure. Research shows 27–44 percent of post-9/11 veterans struggle with these transitions, often due to combat trauma or loss of purpose.
Families bear heavy burdens too. Long deployments spark fear, loneliness, and added responsibilities for spouses and children. When soldiers return, everyone must readjust to new roles, sometimes facing tension or emotional distance. These challenges affect real people, not just statistics, and they demand comprehensive support.
Our Responsibility to Deliver
Honoring our soldiers means more than words. The VA must provide seamless mental health care, yet it struggles with staffing shortages and long wait times. Veterans’ suicide rates remain twice the national average. While programs like the Veterans Crisis Line and telehealth therapy help, they fall short of the need. Expanded treatment for PTSD and military sexual trauma, along with family support, requires urgent investment.
Some policymakers, particularly those tied to the current administration, prioritize flat defense budgets focused on weapons and ships. They argue that readiness hinges on hardware, not veteran care. This view misses the mark. Delaying VA funding or blocking bipartisan veteran bills betrays the troops we praise. Recent laws expanding burn-pit care and the Post-9/11 GI Bill prove what’s possible with commitment. We need bolder action.
A Call to Action
The 261st’s return demands that we step up. Fully fund the VA to deliver timely care. Simplify benefits access for veterans with complex discharges. Strengthen community-based services, especially in rural areas. These measures repay a debt we owe to those who served.
Delaware’s pride in the 261st must fuel change. Our soldiers never wavered in their mission. We must match their resolve, ensuring they and their families thrive. Their courage secured our nation; our action must secure their future.