I DON’T UNDERSTAND.
I don’t understand how any veteran can even consider voting for Donald Trump. As a group we must have the retention span of a nat.
We were soldiers. We served in all the branches. We went where we were sent to do what was necessary. Millions of us went to Viet Nam. Not everyone came home. Many came home hurt; physically and mentally damaged by the experiences suffered.
When we came home the greeting was less than stellar. We weren’t treated very well. A lot of us hid. We didn’t talk about our experience. We didn’t tell people we were veterans. We just buried it and went about building a life. It’s OK. We are men. We can take it. After all, most of us would drive till empty rather than ask for directions.
But it rubbed on us. The years past and slowly our memories began to chip away at the mental wall that separated us from our history.
Things changed; We began to coalesce around a concept:
“Welcome Home, Thank You for Your Service!”
It isn’t great, but it was better than nothing. It fit. It began to grow. Slowly it spread. Veterans welcoming veterans home. We learned. More importantly the country learned. As a result, it took a while but we don’t treat soldiers that way anymore. We respect them. It became a mission. We strove to “Leave no man behind.”
If before we concentrated on hiding our past now we were actively on the hunt. On the hunt for the next brother or sister to be honored. The next brother to offer: “Welcome Home, Thank You for Your Service!” Served with a hand shake and sometimes, if you are lucky, a quick hug with a smile.
I don’t do it often, but every once in a while I walk into stuff trying to get a look at some guy’s hat to see if he is a vet to be greeted. Yea, I know. But everybody deserves a hobby.
So now I have to ask again: How can any veteran vote for Trump?
I am not discussing politics. I really don’t care what your political leaning happens to be. I am talking to you as a non-partisan soldier. Be you a conservative or a liberal. Be you for this or against that, I am addressing fellow veterans.
That brings us to this: Trumps remarks regarding Senator McCain are unacceptable.
“(McCain’s) a war hero because he got captured.
I like people who weren’t captured.”
How can any veteran support a man that so casually insulted and disrespected not only Senator McCain but each and every one of us. It took years for us to gain that status.
“I like people who weren’t captured.”
Two broken legs; two broken arms; five years of torture and mistreatment in captivity, disfigurement for life and Trump’s position is that he likes people who weren’t captured. Well, I bet Senator McCain wishes he wasn’t captured either.
Trump needs to apologize. He needs to apologize to Senator McCain and the entire military services family. And not a drive by. Let him use some of that free publicity he generates and actually apologize to the Senator and the country’s veteran.
Let me put it a different way: Respect, or: NOT ONE VOTE!
Trump has to apologize. Full throated and loud, or: NOT ONE VOTE!
Iowa is first in the nation and coming up fast. Support your veterans, or: NOT ONE VOTE!