Military parade will fuel Trump’s ego

To the Editor,

     After seeing a grand military parade in France, Donald Trump now wants one of his own down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.

     Never mind that Trump received five draft deferments and never served in the armed forces.

     Never mind that in speaking of Sen. John McCain–who was severely injured in combat and spent more than five years in a North Vietnam POW camp–Trump said, “He’s not a war hero… I like people who weren’t captured.”

     The primary goal of this parade is not to honor our soldiers; it’s to fuel Trump’s ego. And the price of this ego trip is estimated at $30 million.

     As one who served with the U.S. Army in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star, here’s what I suggest: If we really want to honor our troops, let’s allocate that $30 million toward restoring the lives of our military men and women who have been grievously injured in combat and to helping those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Frank Olsen

Cedar Rapids