I want to understand, but I really just don’t

This article is not intended to disparage veterans or active-duty military members. Voting is one of the most important rights of American citizens. Active-duty military and veterans are entitled to vote their conscience.

I was recently in Washington, DC, on business. As I checked into my hotel, I found myself waiting in line with a group of veterans also checking in. The group included representatives from around the country who were in the nation’s capital to meet with their congressional representatives concerning veteran benefits.

As an Air Force veteran, I wore my favorite U.S. Air Force baseball cap, which earned me a few “Thank you for your service!” and “Where are you from?” exchanges with my fellow veterans.

After unpacking my suitcase and settling into my room, I headed for a drink and dinner. The hotel lobby and bar area were filled with people, all wearing shirts or blazers with veteran logos. I spotted an empty seat at the bar and took one.

Drawn to my ball cap, a gentleman quickly filled the empty stool to my right and shook my hand, “I can’t pass up an opportunity to share a cocktail with a fellow Air Force vet!” After introductions, he quickly learned I was not in town to meet with congressional representatives. His recruiting instincts went into overdrive.

I expressed my sincere thanks and appreciation for the work that the various veteran organizations have done and continue to do on behalf of veterans. I shared that I have personally benefited from their efforts. I explained that while not a member of the organization he represented, I support other organizations involved in the same veteran issues.

Falling back on his recruiting techniques, he continued to press. His talking points included concerns about what would happen to veteran benefits such as the PACT Act if Kamala Harris is elected president in the coming election. When I asked if he knew that the Biden administration signed the PACT Act into law, he switched to other tactics.

He discussed the benefits of membership, but when he finally realized he wouldn’t be able to convince me to join, he finished his beer and moved on.

The empty barstool wouldn’t be vacant for long before a short, wiry guy — I’m guessing he was in his late 70s — wearing a Marine Corps baseball cap sat down, and we shook hands and went through the thank you for your service ritual.

He shared that he lived near an Air Force base and spoke highly of the military community there. He talked about how good the Airmen on the base were to him and his wife.

After learning that I live in Florida, he said he tried convincing his wife to move there. I suggested that he rent a place for the summer to ensure he could tolerate the increasing heat and humidity caused by climate change. He paused a second, and I thought maybe I should have left out the part about climate change.

After sipping his Yuengling he said, “I don’t want to move to Florida because of the weather. I want to move there because it is a strong conservative state with strong conservative communities. I like Ron DeSantis, and of course, Donald Trump lives there, too.”

I knew I should have ordered my fish and chips to go.

About that time, the TV over the bar played a reminder of the Trump — Harris debate taking place in 24 hours. After another sip of beer, “That is going to be a shitshow. I don’t understand how anybody can vote for Harris.”

I asked if he thought Trump was any better. The Marine spun around on his stool and faced me. He went on and on about what Trump did for the country while he was in office. Then he said, “Trump loves the military, and he is good for veterans.”

“So, it doesn’t bother you that Trump thinks that the military is filled with suckers and losers?”

“He didn’t say that!” he fired back. “He loves the military!”

“General Kelly says he did say that, and more,” I responded.

He thought for a few seconds before he spoke again. “General Kelly was a great military leader. He was a great Marine. Someone got to him. I don’t understand how he can lie about that.”

That said, he turned back to the bar and finished his burger and beer in silence. I paid my tab, said goodnight, and headed to my room for the evening.

Veterans and active duty military members have historically supported Republican presidential candidates, which is nothing new. That trend continued in 2016 and 2020, although Biden attracted many younger military veterans, women veterans, and veterans of color.

Considering Trump’s disparaging comments about military service members, how can so many veterans continue to support him?

In 2015, Trump said that John McCain wasn’t a hero because he got captured. He said, “I like people who weren’t captured.” I understand that McCain had crossed the president on several issues politically, but Trump’s comments crossed the line.

In 2017, Trump proposed hosting a military parade on the 4th of July. According to the White House Chief of Staff, General (retired) John Kelly, Trump requested that wounded soldiers not be included in the parade. “Look, I don’t want any wounded guys in the parade,” Trump reportedly requested. “This doesn’t look good for me.”

Then, in 2018, Trump allegedly canceled a visit to Aisne-Marne American Military Cemetery outside Paris, stating that the cemetery was “filled with losers.”

In 2020, Trump downplayed injuries to military members caused by an Iranian missile attack launched in response to a raid that he ordered. “I heard that they had headaches and a couple of other things,” Trump stated in a news conference. “I’ve seen people with no legs and no arms… I can consider them to be really bad injuries.” In response, the VFW condemned the comments and asked the president to apologize. No apology was given.

Then, just a few weeks ago, Trump said of the Congressional Medal of Freedom, “That’s the highest award you can get as a civilian. It’s the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, but civilian version, it’s actually much better, because everyone gets the Congressional Medal of Honor, they’re soldiers. They’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets, or they’re dead.”

There are other situations as well. While I didn’t particularly like Trump’s comments about McCain in 2015, I cut him a little slack because politicians will insult each other. But that was just the beginning and I didn’t have more slack to give when the next veteran insults were revealed.

Despite Trump’s comments about veterans and military members, polls indicate that Trump holds a ten-point advantage over Harris among veterans and active-duty service members. How can that be?

I really don’t understand at all.

Thank you for reading the work of our nation’s veterans. At Served, we are so proud to elevate these voices and shed light on the truth of what it means to have served: the sacrifices, the experiences, and the profound change it brings about in a young man or woman’s life. The narrative of veterans should be told by veterans, not politicians or special interest groups.
We exist to audit that narrative. Follow us to continue receiving these stories!

Veterans Voting for Trump was originally published in Served on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.