Each month, Linda Cromwell — a veteran herself — sends a short note for our military community. Here is her November message, followed by a look at the issues Linda says we need to stay on top of.

From Linda:

“Today is election day! It’s more important than ever that everyone get out and vote. There are issues that could impact the military, so we need to stay on top of it… I’m on my way to the polls to vote, so till next month stay safe! 🇺🇸”

Linda also reminds everyone: it is extremely important to get your flu shot — and there is an updated Covid shot available now, too.

What “staying on top of it” means as we head into 2026

Linda’s point is well taken. Decisions made in Washington shape the daily lives of everyone in uniform — and everyone who once wore it. Here is what the most recent national surveys and official reports say are the top issues right now.

For those serving today

1. Military spouse employment. For the sixth year in a row, this is the No. 1 concern of active-duty families in Blue Star Families’ Military Family Lifestyle Survey. About 23% of military spouses are unemployed, and most who do work say they are underemployed — a direct result of frequent moves and licensing hurdles.
2. Pay and the cost of living. Military pay itself ranks right behind spouse employment as a family concern, and food insecurity is real: more than one in four active-duty families report low or very low food security.
3. Housing. Half of active-duty households spend more than 30% of their income on housing, and the condition of barracks and privatized base housing — mold, maintenance backlogs, unresponsive landlords — was the subject of pointed Senate hearings this year.
4. Child care. Long waitlists and high costs keep spouses from working and families from getting ahead; 41% of military families spend a fifth or more of their income on child care.
5. Health care access. Senior enlisted leaders told Congress this year that getting a doctor’s appointment shouldn’t take months — access to military and community care remains a readiness issue, not just a family one.
6. Recruiting the next generation — and keeping this one. After several hard years, every service met its recruiting goals in fiscal 2025 and again in fiscal 2026. The harder work now is retention and capacity: training, housing and leading a growing force. Notably, only 37% of military family members say they would recommend service to a young person in their own family — a number advocates say will only rise when the quality-of-life issues above are fixed.

For our veterans

1. Suicide prevention. The VA’s 2026 annual report counts 6,488 veteran suicides in 2024 — an average of 17.7 a day. Most of those veterans were not receiving VA health care, which is why the VA calls outreach its top clinical priority. The Veterans Crisis Line is always there: dial 988, then press 1. The American Legion calls suicide prevention its No. 1 concern as well.
2. Access to quality health care. In Mission Roll Call’s 2026 priorities, veterans put faster, quality care — at the VA and in the community — at the top of the list for Congress.
3. Disability benefits and service-connected conditions. Support for service-connected injuries and illnesses, including toxic-exposure conditions covered under the PACT Act, remains a top priority — veterans want claims decided accurately and without endless delay.
4. Housing and homelessness. More than 32,000 veterans were counted homeless on a single night in the most recent national count. The VA housed a record number of homeless veterans in 2025, but veterans’ groups say the job is far from finished.
5. The transition to civilian life. Good jobs that recognize military experience, credentials that transfer, and help navigating benefits in the first year out are recurring themes in every major veterans survey.

A November thought

Veterans Day is November 11 — one week from today. Linda’s advice fits the month perfectly: vote, get your flu shot, and look out for one another. If you know a Sayville graduate who is serving now, or one who has served, this is a good week to reach out and say thanks.

Stay safe — till next month. 🇺🇸

Sources: Blue Star Families, 2025 Military Family Lifestyle Survey; U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, senior enlisted leaders’ quality-of-life hearing (Feb. 2026); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2026 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report; Mission Roll Call, 2026 veteran priorities; The American Legion, 2026 legislative priorities; U.S. Department of Defense recruiting results, fiscal 2025–2026.