As the war between Israel and Iran continued into late February, the U.S. and Israel launched a strike on Iran. Point Loma Nazarene University students, particularly military-affiliated, have been affected by the growing tension.
According to BBC, after the U.S. and Israel strike, Iran launched attacks on Israel and U.S.-allied states along the gulf including Qatar. This led to a U.S. military base being hit during the attack, according to The New York Times.
Lucie Krachmer, a third-year communication studies major, is a military spouse. She said she feels empathy for other military spouses whose loved ones are in the Middle East and are facing extended deployments.
“My heart just really goes out to those families who are experiencing these really long periods of separation,” Krachmer said.
Krachmer said she has concerns for people who are “losing a sense” of humanity and are “drawing these really stark political lines.”
Krachmer urges people to have compassion for the military personnel involved in the conflict.
“Even if you don’t agree with what is going on in the world [or] with the military actions being taken against Iran, the service members, they are still people, and their spouses are still people, and their families are still people,” Krachmer said. “This is not just a headline … they’re not just numbers; they’re not just soldiers; they’re human beings with lives outside of this.”
Adam “Bubba” Smith, a second-year business major and four-year veteran, said that the possibility of a military draft, which could lead to veterans being called back into service, is unsettling.
“As someone who served on nuclear powered submarines during my service I know how valuable my skills are but I also know how much my service has affected me both physically and mentally long term,” Smith said in a text interview. “I could see how other student veterans may have the same thought in their minds if this operation escalates to something much larger.”
Smith said he believes students should know that the deaths of U.S. military service members are not forgotten, including six in the Iran attack, according to NBC News.
“Our job in the military is to protect freedom for all, unfortunately freedom carries a heavy cost,” Smith said. “I say to all students, what service members need now more than anything is your support.”
Madi Kerrigan, a third-year international studies major, was evacuated a couple of weeks ago while studying abroad in Jordan. While Jordan wasn’t targeted by Iran in their attacks, for the safety of the students, they were evacuated to Istanbul and eventually Morocco.
Kerrigan said she is still trying to figure out how the Iran situation is affecting her while also choosing how she sees the world.
“I knew I was misinformed, but I didn’t realize the extent to which that was the case until I spent these months here understanding the context,” Kerrigan said in an email interview. “I am alarmed and saddened that most of my family, most of my friends … just don’t know what’s going on and the impact it’s having and it’s a luxury that we can look away.”
Kerrigan encourages people in solidarity for each other.
“There’s a lot of people in the Middle East who are suffering and that doesn’t mean we need to go in there and try to fix anything, that probably won’t work,” Kerrigan said. “What I mean is it’s really important to be in solidarity and to actually understand what is going on.”
Haven Sherman