[Editor's note:The Military Officers Association of America is a member of the TRICARE For Kids Coalition, a group that includes health advocacy groups and veterans service organizations committed to the needs of the more than two million children of military families covered by TRICARE. On Nov. 15, the Coalition released a new report, America's Military Readiness and the Essential Role of Medicaid]
Today's children will grow up to be tomorrow's teachers, entrepreneurs and artists, just as they will grow to be tomorrow's Marines, airmen, sailors and soldiers. Investing in the health of today's kids is important for more reasons than I can enumerate, but a critical one is our nation's future military readiness.
Recognizing our nation's security is top priority, we invest heavily in our military's technology and workforce - for example, in the weapon systems we're building today that will deploy repeatedly for the next 20 years. But we must ask ourselves, are we investing as much in the future service members who will employ those weapon systems two decades from now?
Tomorrow's recruits are among today's children. We know that investing in the health, education, and safety of kids produces returns in their future years, but it also produces returns for our future military and our national defense.
Recent reports have concluded that 75 percent of Americans 17-24 years of age are unfit for military service. In the face of such daunting statistics, it is clear policymakers must not look to weaken or cut core children's health programs, but rather work together to strengthen them. In doing so, we will ensure a more fit pool of future recruits who are more likely to serve. As this report will detail, we know future recruits are much more likely to come from families where another has served before them.
During America's years at war, military-connected families have demonstrated amazing resilience; this resilience can continue over time but only with the firm commitment to the right supports and services along the continuum of civilian and military systems of care.
Considering this latter point, it's important to understand 3.6 million children in active service and veteran families rely on the government program Medicaid. Medicaid ensures these children have access to health care, from primary and preventive care to highly specialized care found in children's hospitals.
If we don't prioritize and invest in our children's health and well-being, we jeopardize our future military readiness. MOAA is proud to be a part of this report, because understanding how children - including children in military families - receive health care today and the challenges they encounter is an important first step to prioritizing their unique needs. Our children depend on us, and someday soon we will depend on them.