BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — For Chad Gracia, a 13-year U.S. Army veteran, a shadow box gifted by his platoon is more than a display it’s a snapshot of a lifetime of service including a deployment to Afghanistan.
“My platoon has gifted me this shadow box and it’s basically my whole entire military history in a box,” Gracia said.
But in recent days, as the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on Iran that reportedly killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior commanders, Gracia says the news has left him unsettled.
The joint military operation described by U.S. officials as aimed at degrading Iran’s military capabilities has already resulted in casualties on both sides. The U.S. military has confirmed at least three American service members killed in action and five more seriously wounded.
As he reflected on his time in uniform, Gracia said the latest developments rekindled vivid memories of war and resurfaced symptoms of PTSD.
“Based on everything I’ve seen, I don’t see it de-escalating and to me, that’s troubling, because I know what that can lead to. Over the weekend, people were killed and injured,” Gracia said.
Not all veterans share his view.
Less B., drafted into the Army in 1966 and a former artilleryman, expressed frustration with the conflict and said he believes the nation already has plenty of issues to deal with at home.
“I feel like we already have enough going on here in America with immigration issues, ICE, and what’s happening with Venezuela,” he said.
Another veteran, Watusi T., offered a contrasting perspective on the strikes and broader U.S. military strategy.
“I think we are heading in the right direction. America is surrounded by threats, and we’re a superpower. We have to protect ourselves and our allies,” he said.
For Gracia, his focus isn’t on debating foreign policy, but on the people affected by combat particularly military families who might soon bear the hardest burden.
“I’m trying not to focus on the political debate right now,” he said. “I’m focused on what’s happening overseas and how we can prepare locally for the families who may soon be notified that their loved ones are injured or worse.”
As tensions continue to ripple across the globe, his story is a reminder of the very real human impact behind headlines and military strategy and the importance of checking in on those who serve, especially when the news feels heavy.
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