Plenty of harm in Trump’s military parade

Michael Cromwell should be thanked for his service to our country, and for doing the hard work of teaching English, but he is wrong to think that the military parade President Donald Trump desires would be "a one-day event at most" (“Let Trump have his military parade,” Feb. 9). It will take weeks of moving equipment from all over the country to D.C., moving troops to D.C., rehearsing, drilling, all of which takes large numbers of our military away from what they are doing to protect our country. Afterward, whatever roadways are used will need to be repaired and repaved from the damage caused by tank-treads shredding the pavement. All this time, transporting equipment, billeting troops and rehearsal will take days and large amount of money not already budgeted.

As to putting "our money where our mouth is" to show our support and pride in those who serve, retired service members with whom I have spoken all agree on one thing: The money that would be used for such a parade would be better spent upgrading the VA and benefits for those who have left active service. This has long been a fundamental need that gets much lip-service and little action. I suspect our service members would find this more uplifting and a morale boost knowing that at the end of their active duty there will be excellent support services rather then spending several weeks in assembling and disassembling a logistical nightmare that will interrupt the very work they have volunteered to do in the first place.