I’m fairly astonished at the recent poll numbers you cite. I saw them first yesterday and was so surprised that military support is breaking away from Trump. That’s historically unprecedented for a Republican president, and I think it’s really important.

I’m not at all surprised, sadly, by your experiences and feelings of not being safe.

As a former military member myself, I can relate to a lot of what you say. I served with a lot of Black and Brown people, which as you point out is the norm in the military.

My friend Juliet, who was an Air Force officer with me in Berlin, struggled with many of the issues you’re talking about. As a Black woman of immigrant parents, she felt torn between loyalties. She also said she felt like the Air Force was a safe haven for her, especially overseas, but that it made her feel guilty, if that makes sense.

I wish things were better. I wish systemic racism wasn’t such a huge problem in the United States. And I really wish we didn’t have a president stoking the fires.

Thanks for telling your stories. I think they make a difference.