I was disappointed by the Memorial Day observance at Fort Vancouver. As usual, it seemed more like Veterans Day. The master of ceremony set the tone for the event by spending nearly all of his time honoring the living attendees. The mayor gave a speech about the mayor. A letter from our representative to Congress was read that showed her grasp of the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day is tenuous at best. Or was it a campaign mailing? A letter from our senior senator was read. Ever since our senior senator proposed cutting veterans’ benefits while voting to preserve her own benefits, the only letter I want to hear from her is a letter of resignation. The National Park Service representative’s speech was about how well she manages the national park. In all, I heard 45 minutes of speeches, mostly about the speakers or attending veterans.
Actually focusing on those who sacrificed their lives in service to our country and the Gold Star families would have been nice, but it seemed lost in the hoopla.
Randall Schultz-Rathbun
Brush Prairie
