Political tensions dominated the national landscape in 2024. As a hotly contested election loomed, politicians and other public figures sought to dehumanize “the other side” — causing fear, anger and animosity to erupt among people of all ideologies.

Tragically, those heated feelings sometimes escalated into violence. With two assassination attempts on a presidential candidate — not to mention countless other violent incidents — 2024 exposed the depths of our political divides. In fact, ​​a Reuters analysis confirmed that we are in the midst of the biggest and most sustained increase in political violence since the 1970s.

As the election concluded and the holiday season approached, tensions appeared to subside. Many hoped 2025 might offer a fresh start — if not to resolve our differences, then at least to discuss them civilly.

Those hopes were shattered within hours of the new year. On Jan. 1 in New Orleans a driver plowed his pickup truck into a crowded street, killing 14 people and injuring 35. Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Las Vegas, a targeted explosion outside the Trump International Hotel further underscored this persistent threat of violence. While the exact motives behind these attacks remain under investigation, what we do know is that both perpetrators were drawn to extremist ideologies — and both resorted to violence as a way to release their frustrations.

The United States desperately needs leadership to heal these divides and end the senseless violence. Yet this leadership is unlikely to come from our government — politicians remain too polarized, and public trust in government institutions has eroded significantly.

This is where veterans can make a crucial difference.

According to a 2024 Gallup poll, 61% of Americans trust the military “a great deal or quite a lot.” By contrast, only 9% trusted Congress. Equipped with training in de-escalation, crisis management and teamwork, veterans already play a crucial role in fostering collaboration and diffusing tension in polarized environments. Putting those skills to use here at home, veterans could help bridge the divides in our fractured communities.

I spent 15 years of my life living and operating in fragile regions working to build trust among warring factions and prevent the spread of extremist ideologies — first as an infantry and Force Recon Marine in combat and then as the founder of Nuru International, an organization working to eradicate extreme poverty in conflict areas. Using counterinsurgency strategies and lessons learned from decades of asymmetric warfare, my teams helped unify communities through projects like creating farming cooperatives, training leaders in best agronomic practices, and repairing health care infrastructure.

Upon returning home, I wanted to rekindle that sense of purpose and put the skills I had learned in the military to good use. Ultimately, I decided to found +More Perfect Union, a nonpartisan nonprofit committed to strengthening communities and bridging the political divide in America.

The good news is that I’m far from unique. Countless other combat veterans are eager to continue serving their country here on the home front. As veterans, we need a hill to take, and arguably, there is no greater hill to take in our time than helping to bridge the divide that is tearing apart our country.

This bridging work can take many forms, but the essential component is bringing people of differing backgrounds together for conversation, open dialogue and service. By leading volunteer work, service projects or mentorship programs in their local communities, veterans can be the catalyst that opens the door to conversation, understanding and trust.

How do community projects help prevent violence? They humanize the “other side.” We often discover unexpected common ground when we step outside our echo chambers to accomplish something positive together. Through these interactions, veteran leaders can help extinguish the sparks of animosity before they ignite into something more dangerous.

It is worth noting that the perpetrators of the Las Vegas and New Orleans attacks were military-connected themselves. (One was active duty, the other was a veteran.) Veterans are not immune to extremist rhetoric or political echo chambers — no one is. But when a veteran is at the center of a story like this, we tend to put all veterans in the “broken” category instead of realizing that our brave men and women coming home from the wars may just be our nation’s greatest untapped strategic asset.

We need to empower our veterans to continue fighting for peace and unity here at home. Many veterans struggle to find purpose after leaving military service. What better way to continue serving our country than by helping to heal the divisions threatening our communities?

As veterans return from foreign wars, they find a nation that uncomfortably mirrors the conflict zones they left behind: communities fractured and exploited by extreme voices. Now is the time to apply their battle-tested wisdom to heal these divides. In the wake of a divisive election, veterans can help de-escalate tensions and remind us all that there is so much more that unites us than divides us. They can remind us that a united America is possible, and it is worth fighting for.

Jake Harriman is co-founder and president of +More Perfect Union.