The tragic murder of Pfc. Katia Duenas-Aguilar, on May 18 of this year, who was a soldier in the 101st Airborne Division, stabbed 68 times in her off-post home, is not just a singular incident.
It's a heart wrenching symptom of a broader crisis within our military.
She was found with traces of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, or GHB, in her system — a drug notoriously used as a date rape drug.
The circumstances of Duenas-Aguilar’s death are horrific and deeply saddening.
Yet, this incident is part of an unsettling pattern of violence that plagues our armed forces, pointing to a systemic issue demanding immediate attention.
It's critical to recognize how the ideological shifts pushed by leftist policies have contributed to this deterioration. Over past years, there has been a troubling focus on social experimentation within the ranks, in the form of undermining unit cohesion with politically correct agendas, to diluting rigorous standards once prioritizing combat readiness, and personal accountability.
This shift has not only weakened our military's operational capabilities, it has also created an environment in which discipline and respect for fellow soldiers erode, giving rise to incidents like the disturbing murder of Duenas-Aguilar.
These policy changes have coincided with an increase in crime within the military, including sexual assault and harassment.
The case of Vanessa Guillen, gruesomely murdered by a fellow soldier at Fort Cavazos in 2020, already highlighted severe shortcomings in how our military handles internal justice and protects its members.
Yet, despite the outcry and the promises for reform, the violence continues, as seen with the brutal killing of Duenas-Aguilar.
Such continuity of violence reflects a failure of leadership and a misdirection in priorities — issues that must be laid at the doorstep of those pushing these dangerous policies.
We must call out and challenge the destructive influence of leftist ideology on military policy and culture.
The safety of our servicemen and women is not negotiable. It's time for a decisive shift back to core military values of discipline, merit, and respect — a recommitment to the principles that once made the American military the most formidable and respected force globally.
We owe it to every soldier like Pfc. Duenas-Aguilar, and their grieving families, to demand and enact this change.
Our military's purpose is to defend our nation and its interests.
This cannot be compromised by internal decay, fostered by misguided political agendas.
We need to restore our military by reinstating tried and true values that focus on security, readiness, and the welfare of our troops.
It's time to place America, and its defenders, first again.
Bianca Gracia is president of the Latinos for Trump/Latinos for America First Organization, Founder and Executive Director of Latinos for America First PAC. She has worked as the Chief Strategist at The America Project, Hispanic Engagement Director of the Republican Party of Texas, and the State Director of Faith and Freedom Coalition. She was the former President of Líderes de la Comunidad, Americanos Conservative United, director and adviser for Blexit Texas. Gracia has appeared on Fox, Steve Bannon's "War Room," Newsmax, OANN and can be heard live Monday mornings at 8 a.m. on 1440 Keys AM in Corpus Christi, Texas. Read more of her reports — Here.