Thousands were on the National Mall in D.C. on Friday for the “Unite for Veterans, Unite for America” rally.
The event was hosted by the Unite for Veterans Coalition with the goal of raising awareness of the cuts being proposed at the Veterans Affairs Department.
Joe Plenzler, of the Unite for Veterans Coalition, told WTOP that if you are waiting for a hero to come save us, you’re doing the wrong thing.
“Look in the mirror, put on your big boy or big girl pants, put on your daddy or mom shoes, and get to work. Call your Congress people, write them a letter, ask for a meeting in their home office, show up to their town halls, write a letter to the editor, write an op-ed,” Plenzler said.
Plenzler, who served in the Marines, said they don’t want what happened to other federal agencies through the “Department of Government Efficiency” to happen to the VA. President Donald Trump tasked Elon Musk, a then top adviser, to run DOGE with the goal of slashing government spending.
“Elon Musk and the rest of them came through other federal agencies and departments, just taking a meat ax to the staff,” Plenzler said. “The Department of Veterans Affairs, which is the department that was purpose built to help us transition from the military, take care of veterans who came back from war wounded, injured and ill.”
Irma Westmoreland was one of the guest speakers. The nurse from the VA hospital in Augusta, Georgia, spoke to WTOP after her speech.
“Those veterans stood on the line for us. It’s our turn to stand on the line for them and make sure they have a VA that we promised them they would have,” Westmoreland said.
Even though Westmoreland has 40 years of nursing under her belt and could retire, she said her service is not over.
“I’m eligible to retire, but I’m not going a single place. I’m going to stand here until this VA is protected,” Westmoreland said.
There were people from all around the country at the rally, including Janet Fairman, who works at a VA hospital in Dayton, Ohio.
“The veterans are scared with these cuts,” Fairman said.
Along with primary care services, Fairman said these cuts could also keep the veterans from getting mental health services.
One of the older people attending the rally was a 100-year-old World War II veteran.
“I’m here because I’m really horrified at the way they’ve been stealing jobs and medical care,” George Idelson said. “They’ve just been trying to take it away from people. They can’t do that. And I’m just terrified by that idea.”
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