Three Black US Army reservists were killed in a drone attack at a US military base in Jordan on Jan. 28 . The three soldiers were identified as Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Ga.; Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Ga.; and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Ga.
In recent weeks armed resistance groups in Iraq and Syria have intensified strikes on US military positions in the region.
The strikes come as retaliation for Washington’s ongoing support for Israel’s war on Palestine.
According to data collected by Palestinian officials more than 26,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war on October 7, 2023.
Army Reserves
It’s important to note that the soldiers killed were reservists as popular propaganda would have us believe that being a reservist is all reward and little to no risk. The army reserves are marketed to young Americans as something like to a side-hustle. Show up two days a month for training and do two weeks of active service a year. It seems almost like free money.
The Army uses distinct language to describe its members, Citizen Soldiers. The Army Reserve website defines the force as one that allows the enlisted the ability to “live where you want, receive medical benefits, educational benefits, tuition assistance, and build for retirement.”
The armed forces entices young people with promises of a better future. Financial assistance for college and housing, free travel, and early retirement being among the most publicized and well known perks of joining the military. These financial incentives and perks serve as enticing bait for many of America’s poor black youth.
So enticing are the financial incentives that even though Black people make up just 12.4 percent of the U.S. population we account for 16.8 percent of the military.
The racial wealth gap continues to widen and more and more young Black people are turning to the U.S. military not necessarily because they love America but as a means of survival. There is a running joke with young people, particularly Black youth, that most people who join the military are doing it for “college and a camaro.” In other words, joining for the military for what they think will be financial security.
Federal reserve published a report stating that in 2022 for every $100 held by a white family, the typical black family had just $16. In other words, White families had a median household wealth of $187,300, compared with $14,100 for Black families.
Free Ride? Think Again!
Of all the boasting of “what the army can do for you,” not much is said about the mental, physical, and emotional toll that U.S. military service has on its members.
U.S. veterans are historically plagued by mental health disorders, homelessness, substance abuse, and suicidality.
The US department of Veterans affairs found that the suicide rate for Veterans was 31.7 per 100,000 in 2020. For non-Veteran U.S. adults, the suicide rate was 16.1 per 100,000 in 2020.
U.S. marines in Port-au-Prince, 2004.
As black people our enemies aren’t in West Asia (Middle East). Our enemies are right here in America. They are the politicians defunding our schools and libraries. They are the fascist police who routinely commit public executions of Black people. Our enemies are the capitalists that leech off of our labor and leave us with nothing.
Black soldiers are giving the ultimate sacrifice for an empire that is orchestrating yet another invasion of Haiti while backing indiscriminate bombings, executions, and starvation in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
We mourn the loss of any African life that could have been saved. We need our young Black soldiers to use their skills and training to build up our communities and join us in the fight against our real enemies.
