President Donald Trump is politicizing our military, U.S. Army veteran Scott Peoples writes.
By Scott Peoples / Beacon Media
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Being a paratrooper in the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division was one of the great honors of my life.
My days at Fort Bragg were the most formative days of my entire life. I grew up there, learned so many lessons, and have countless happy memories. So much so that I told my family that after I die, I would like the ashes of my remains to be spread across the Normandy Drop Zone. This is the site of most of my airborne jumps while I was at Bragg. It is hallowed ground for me and thousands of paratroopers that came before me and after me.
This is why President Trump’s disgraceful displays over the past week have enraged me so much.
Growing up, my family believed in the GOP and that Republicans represented those who cherished democracy at home, defended democracy abroad, and respected our institutions and the rule of law. Rush Limbaugh on radio and Bill O’Reilly on TV were the background noise of my childhood.
These Republican roots – along with leadership from people like Vietnam War hero and late U.S. Senator John McCain, and diplomat, statesman, and historic U.S. Army officer Colin Powell – inspired me to join the military after 9/11.
I have seen something very different since the Republican Party has been controlled by President Trump. On Tuesday, June 10, Trump traveled to Fort Bragg and gave one of the most hyper-partisan political speeches ever given in front of American soldiers. With paratroopers from the 82nd standing behind him like his own personal props, he attacked his political opponents and the free press like he was performing at a MAGA rally.
The military is supposed to be nonpartisan – to protect and stand for all Americans. To those soldiers standing behind Trump booing and laughing at Trump’s cruelty – and their commanding officers that went along with the spectacle – you disgraced the uniform, and you should all be ashamed.
To Major General Patrick Work, the current Commanding General of the 82nd, I hope you have the honor and the moral courage to speak up against this travesty. This politicization needs to end.
Four days after this spectacle, Trump threw himself a military-style birthday parade in Washington D.C. This misguided attempt to make our nation’s capital look more like Moscow or Pyongyang than the center of the free world backfired spectacularly. We all know this event was not actually about honoring our troops. President Trump made that perfectly clear when he called veterans suckers and losers. The U.S. Army deserved a real celebration of it’s history, not a disorganized attempt to service the fragile ego of a wannabee king trying to look tough.
Trump’s authoritarian birthday parade included more than 6,000 servicemembers and is estimated to have cost the American taxpayer up to $45 million. First of all, anyone that has ever served in the military knows that soldiers hate being forced to march in a parade. It is a punishment, not a reward. Second of all, the cost of this parade is an abomination. That $45 million could have been spent to preserve some of the 6,000 jobs the Trump administration has already cut in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. These are roles that directly support our veterans, but Trump plans to fire 83,000 more by September. This is shameful and un-American.
Whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth likes it or not, the Army is the most diverse organization in the entire world. When I served, my unit was comprised of paratroopers from Ghana, Kenya, the Philippines, Japan, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. There were soldiers from the mountains of West Virginia and the inner city of Detroit. We all came together with the “AA”, patch of the 82nd on our shoulders, which stands for All American, for a common mission to serve and protect all of America and the constitution. We never discussed politics.
Whether Donald Trump likes it or not, this is not HIS military. The military belongs to the American people. Trump would like nothing more than the new patch of the 82nd to be “TA” for Trump’s Americans. Because all he cares about is himself and those who serve HIM and not the constitution. He cares nothing about honor and selfless service, only raw power. We all need to speak up now and condemn this ultra politicization of the military for Donald Trump’s benefit before it is too late.
Entering the Army, I raised my right hand and swore an oath to the Constitution to defend my country. That oath was for life. I hope that regardless of party, you will join me in standing up and making it clear that in the United States of America there are no kings.
Scott Peoples served in the military from 2009-2014 and was a captain in the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division. He lives in Raleigh and is a board member of Veterans for Responsible Leadership.