Since the founding of our country, Indigenous people have served in the armed forces. However, their contributions have often been minimized and their cultural traditions have often been disrespected.
This week, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is breaking ground on North Carolina’s first tribal veterans cemetery. It would become the 15th tribal veterans cemetery in the U.S. That compares with nearly 160 cemeteries recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Meanwhile, according to Mission Roll Call, as of 2022, there were more than 160,00 Indigenous veterans across the country. Still, due to some of the same roadblocks as their civilian counterparts, these veterans face a tough return to life back home thanks to social barriers, lower incomes and higher unemployment.
We discuss the importance of honoring the Indigenous effort in fighting America's wars, what's being done to respect their culture, and what work remains.
GUESTS:
Nakia Arrington, retired Marine Corps officer and enrolled citizen of the Lumbee Tribe
Ashley Lomboy, Army veteran and Waccamaw Siouan
John Hall, professor of U.S. Military History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
