The enduring job of the U.S. military is to be strong, ready for anything, and dedicated to serve our democracy. Sufficient numbers of skilled and confident people are crucial to that accomplishment.

Upon enlistment, every American service member signs a contract allowing commanders to send them anywhere in the world, to do anything they are asked, no matter how dangerous.

Civilians can decline assignments they think are too dangerous, or even too inconvenient. Our service members cannot. They have agreed to die, if necessary, to accomplish their units’ missions.

Wise commanders know that their sweeping authority over service members comes with the obligation not to put any service member at risk unnecessarily.

Those realities are tightly linked to this month’s news.

In 2023, too many of our politicians think themselves qualified to decide about women’s reproductive lives. Those decisions are often removed from women and from medical experts, by politicians who mistakenly believe (or at least pretend to believe) that the issues are simple. Many women suffer from these policies. Some women die.

Civilians with money can travel to places where physicians can care adequately for the unexpected. Service members, regardless of means, cannot leave their duty stations — unless they receive permission.

Current military policies don’t pay for service members’ abortions. Service members are reimbursed only for travel time and travel expenses to get from their duty stations to a place of medically appropriate care. This represents a double standard about abortion, but it is the bare minimum that service members should be provided.

President Biden is threatening to veto the defense spending bill if it doesn’t protect our service members — female and male, gay and straight — from any harm that’s not directly related to the military mission.

Military readiness requires protecting those who serve us, however we can, so they can concentrate on staying ready. We applaud President Biden for placing readiness — and the physical and psychological safety of our service members — above politics.

DAVE CUNDIFF, MD MPH

MARYANNE MURRAY, DNP, EdD

Ilwaco