As the nation watches the unfolding military action in Iran, many Americans understandably focus on what they feel most immediately — the rising price of gas, the uncertainty in the markets and the inconvenience of global tension. Those reactions are human, and they are real. But for many of us who once wore the uniform — those who spent years or decades in service, who deployed again and again into combat zones — these moments stir something far deeper than frustration at the pump.

I served nearly 24 years in the US Army and 16 years of that as a Special Operations helicopter pilot. From 2002 to 2013, I deployed multiple times into combat theaters. I saw firsthand the cost of war — not just in dollars, but in lives, in families, in memories that never quite fade. When news breaks of new confl ict, many Americans see headlines. Veterans often see ghosts.

For some of us, the first instinct is a familiar one: to reach for the old uniform hanging in the closet. It’s a uniform that still fits in the shoulders, even if the years have added a few pounds around the middle. More importantly, it still fits in the heart. The desire to serve, to defend, to stand beside our brothers and sisters in arms — that never really leaves. Patriotism isn’t something we retired from. It’s something woven into who we are.

But alongside that pride comes something darker. Military action in places like Iran brings back memories of the enemy we faced — directly and through proxies — during the wars of the last two decades. Many of us lost friends to that enemy. Many of us carry scars, visible or not, from those battles. When the news cycle turns toward conflict, it can reopen doors in the mind that we work hard to keep closed.

This is why I ask our community to pause before reducing the current situation to the cost of a gallon of gas. Yes, the financial impact is real. But for veterans, the emotional impact can be far heavier. We are still losing 22 veterans a day to suicide. That number isn’t a statistic to us — it’s a reminder of the silent battles fought long after the shooting stops. When global tensions rise, so do the internal struggles many veterans face. Feelings of helplessness, guilt, or the belief that we should be doing more can resurface quickly.

To my fellow veterans: you have already done your part. You served your country with honor. You carried the weight when it was your turn. Now your duty is to each other. Check in on your buddies. Reach out when the memories get heavy. You are not alone, and you are not forgotten.

And to the community: your sacrifice in this moment — whether it’s a few extra dollars at the pump or the anxiety of watching world events unfold — is temporary. The sacrifices made by those who served were not. So, when you think about the current conflict, think also of the men and women here in Lincoln County and across the nation who once had “skin in the game.” Think of what these moments may stir in their minds and hearts.

We are patriots. We would put the uniform on again in a heartbeat if our country asked. But even though we can’t, we still carry the same love of nation, the same loyalty to our brothers and sisters, and the same desire to protect what we hold dear.

As the world watches what happens next, let us also watch out for one another — Keenan is a retired Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 and a veteran who lives in Fayetteville.