For decades, many "forgotten" veterans had "Happier Veterans' Day" for wishes on the 11th of November.  Will Donald Trump be the one who changes the sad tradition, and will he manage to set the Veterans' Administration's priorities straight?

Generations of wronged veterans have been bored with insincere speeches and crocodile tears shed on wreaths.  Too many consecutive administrations considered that one day-long ceremony in commemoration of the fallen will do for remembering the living every day.  Then, on November 11, mainstream media that don't usually talk about Agent Orange or veteran homelessness spread peacock's tails of "freebies and deals" for suddenly remembered "beloved veterans."  It's been both heartbreaking and sickening to see over and over again how some politically correct tools congratulate themselves for giving a homeless veteran a burger on his "big day."  It's high time to cut the overwhelming Bravo Sierra and give the most deserving citizens decent living conditions and health care.  Let's start by spelling "veterans first" to "sanctuary city" mayors, and then we may celebrate Veterans' Day in a due course and in a due manner.

I also hope that this Veterans' Day, President Trump will see orange, because our Agent Orange–scarred heroes have seen red for too long.  In line with the principle "divide to rule," the V.A. has been playing favorites with Agent Orange exposure claims.  Vietnam- era veterans who were exposed to A.O. in Thailand and the survivors of Vietnam-era veterans who served on Royal Thai air bases get the worst deal or no deal at all.  Over decades, the V.A. was "saving money" by discriminating against our heroes, who have been battling multiple cancers and whose children have birth defects.  Interestingly, the V.A. could afford $20 million's worth of "artwork" to pamper the pseudo-intellectual egos of some V.A.-ristocrats.  Two billion dollars were wasted for failed "IT projects," and a 2018 OIG audit discovered that the V.A.'s "oversight failures" are likely to result in $2.3 billion in G.I. Bill money being fed to "ineligible programs" over the next  few years.  Hundreds of millions were spent for the V.A. 's internal bonuses , often given to individuals who should be fired.  And there's no money for veterans?  Go figure...

In 2016, President Trump pledged to clean the V.A. house, and he won veterans' votes by a margin of nearly 4 million.  Draining the V.A.'s corruption- and cronyism-reeking swamp is not an easy task, and, as observed by a retired U.S Navy captain, Bob Carey (Detroit News, November 19, 2018), "Secretary Wilkie needs to be given the accountable personnel and political muscle required to bring about the change that voters demanded in 2016."  Unfortunately, Secretary Wilkie's choices — from handshakes with the swamp-tainted likes of Robert McDonald and Vince Kane ("veteran homelessness expert") to congratulating the veteran homelessness–generating California V.A. on "holistic approach to solving this issue" — are, to say the least, confusing.  Secretary Wilkie must not forget that veterans, veteran rights advocates, and whistleblowers march to Patton's "Lead, follow, or get out of my way."

Yep, I do hope President Trump will see orange this Veterans' Day, don't you?  Paraphrasing General Patton's quote on ancestors, Mr. President, I'm sure veterans are always with you. "They are watching.  They expect a hell of a lot out of you."