By Chad Robichaux

As we gather to celebrate Independence Day, it is important to appreciate the immense blessings afforded to us in this great nation that have been protected by the selfless sacrifices of our brave veterans and service members.

Many Americans are unaware that June was PTSD Awareness Month, a struggle particularly acute within the military community. Even though our veterans sacrificed to protect the freedoms of every American, their silent struggles are overlooked as local and international governing bodies, corporations, academia, media, entertainment, and almost every other industry go out of their way in June to support and promote LGBTQ Pride, reminding the nation what that month now represents.

As a veteran and the founder of the Mighty Oaks Foundation, I feel compelled to share my perspective on what all Americans should be considering this Independence Day — appreciating our freedoms and honoring the sacrifices made to protect them.

We are blessed to have the freedom to worship, speak our minds, and work towards positive change for ourselves and our nation. These rights were enshrined in our nation’s founding documents, protecting everyone equally despite differences of opinion or belief. But we find ourselves in a time when these fundamental rights are being challenged under the guise of “the greater good.”

We must remember that the greatest good will be achieved by protecting these rights for everyone, even those with whom you may disagree — and even those who don’t appreciate the sacrifices made on their behalf. Once these rights are restricted for some, we risk having them restricted for all. It is our duty to cherish these so that we may ensure a bright and free future for generations.

Those who have selflessly served to protect the freedoms, rights, and safety of every American are being overlooked or downplayed by society in favor of more sensationalized political agendas. This leaves many struggling with anxiety, depression, and broken homes in the wake of suicides occurring at a rate of over 20 a day in our military community alone, and equally as tragic for our first responders. Theirs is a silent struggle as society’s awareness and support are reserved for more politically relevant demographics.

Instead of benefiting from the support of a grateful nation, they find their faith- and community-based assistance programs disappearing as politically incorrect. While an entire month is dedicated to supporting and promoting awareness of a sensational agenda and politically relevant demographic, our military veterans get but a single day, as do those who made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.

Instead of participating in weeks of parades and parties on the White House lawn, our struggling veterans, service members, and first responders watch as the flag they have sacrificed to defend, which represents freedom and prosperity for all, is vilified as hateful and sweepingly replaced by a flag representing a radical and divisive few.

I am proud to dedicate my time to supporting and honoring those who have sacrificed for our nation when many would rather see them fade into the background, including the VA, which we recently discovered has been undercounting the tragic veteran suicide epidemic.

To fill the gaps left by an increasingly ungrateful society and government, I started the Mighty Oaks Foundation, which offers non-clinical faith-based peer-to-peer mentoring programs. This has afforded me the opportunity to witness firsthand the immense sacrifices that have been made to safeguard the freedoms we will celebrate the Independence Day, much of which I discuss on my new podcast, “Stay Dangerous,” to encourage awareness and appreciation.

I fear that our society’s focus has been drawn away from the things that really matter and that make this nation great. This Independence Day, we must come together as a nation, embracing our differences while focusing on our shared values and freedoms. We must engage in open and respectful conversations to bridge divides, foster understanding, and work towards a stronger, more united, and healthier nation. And we must be anxious to acknowledge and honor the sacrifices, both mind and body, which have been made on our behalf and on behalf of an increasingly ungrateful nation.

I urge my fellow Americans to take this opportunity to join us in building a new American tradition of celebrating Memorial Month in honor of the sacrifices made for our nation’s freedoms. Remind your representatives what truly matters as you reflect on the profound significance of sacrifice, freedom, and healing. Be willing to stand up for truth, and support organizations that do likewise.

Take this opportunity to honor those who have given much so that you may enjoy the freedoms afforded you in this great nation.

Chad Robichaux is the founder of the Mighty Oaks Foundation, a United States Marine veteran, and a PTSD survivor. He is also the bestselling author of Redeployed: How Combat Veterans Can Fight the Battle Within and Win the War at Home, a board-certified counselor, and a former professional mixed martial arts world champion featured on NBC’s “World Series of Fighting.” Robichaux also organized the largest civilian-led evacuation of Afghanistan in 2021, following America’s pullout, rescuing over 17,000 people from the Taliban.