Our Lady J Instagram – When my brother, James, was growing up, he told me he wanted to go to space. He had the intelligence, the discipline, and the talent to do it, so he dedicated his youth to his studies and was accepted into the US Air Force Academy at 17. From there, he fell in love with flying and went on to serve in the US Air Force, providing humanitarian relief to war torn locations, as well as recovering wounded military members from combat zones. He loved being in the sky more than anything. But in 2017, the Air Force stationed him in Las Vegas to fly combat drones, forcing him to witness violent combat on computer screens from a remote ground location in the Nevada desert, something he detested and spoke out against. Though drone pilots witness more violence than many service members ever do, the Air Force doesn’t consider these missions to have negative effects on a pilot’s mental health. Pilots are not tested nor trained to handle the mental strains of close combat, and if they seek out mental healthcare, they are often grounded from flying again, destroying the dream that brought them to serve in the first place. On May 18, 2020, after flying 595 drone combat missions, my brother took his life. His pleas to the Air Force went unheard, and his world crumbled around him. My world crumbled too, and the world of everyone in my family. He was a kind, intelligent, sensitive, loving, and brilliant brother. His service had high-level positive impacts on our national security, and his life had an even greater impact on those who loved him. I miss you and I love you, James. Thank you for everything you gave us.