The Unseen Battle for Recognition

When envisioning a soldier, images of action movie heroes often come to mind: individuals in firefights, breaching doors, amid explosions, driven by adrenaline, danger, and overt bravery. Yet, as Lorena Black, a retired U.S. Army Major, so eloquently shared, this popular perception often overlooks the vast majority of military service. With 25 years dedicated to the Army, Lorena found herself consistently navigating a unique challenge: she had served extensively across various global assignments, but none of them included combat deployments to places like Iraq or Afghanistan. This absence often prompted a flicker of surprise, or even a subtle implication, suggesting her service was somehow less significant.

Lorena's experience highlights a pervasive societal issue. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that a substantial 80 to 86 percent of military roles are non-combat positions. The very definition of a soldier, according to Merriam-Webster, simply refers to