Veterans march in Salem against Trump’s changes to VA
At least 500 people, including military veterans, gathered Friday in Salem to protest President Donald Trump’s administration and its treatment of veterans.
The march was one of many happening at state capitols nationwide and in Washington, D.C. It started at noon by Northeast Court Street in front of the Oregon State Capitol and shortly after moved to Northeast Center Street, across from the Capitol Mall.
Veterans make up nearly 30% of all federal workers and many across agencies have recently been laid off by the Department of Government Efficiency, an initiative led by Elon Musk to shrink the size of the federal government. According to an internal memo, the administration plans to cut 80,000 jobs in the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs by the end of the year, which some say may worsen the mental health crisis among veterans.
The march took place on March 14 in reference to the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. One demonstrator read Article 3 out loud: “No person shall … hold any office … who, having previously taken an oath … to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof,” referencing the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol over which Trump was impeached.
“The regime is trying to take benefits from veterans and take our government apart,” said Barb Eichburger, a military veteran who served three years in the Army and four in the National Guard reserve. “It’s our job to defend and support the Constitution from foreign and domestic terror.”
Eichburger also joined the march to get a sense of community and support among veterans, especially since the second Trump administration has significantly impacted her mental health, she said.
“It’s kind of hard to have our voices heard in a tone-deaf administration,” said Steve Sagmiller, who served in the Army in the early 1970s. He joined the march to oppose cuts in funding and jobs in the Department of Veteran Affairs.
Terry Washington, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, joined the march to “protect the rights of veterans as well as all Americans” against the Trump administration. He served while Ronald Reagan was president and said that “things have only gotten worse” ever since.
“I didn’t join the military to support a dictator or a king,” Washington said. By attending the march, he hopes to make the “people sitting on the sidelines” aware about the conditions of veterans and the threats to their benefits under the Trump administration.
“I have to admit I was pretty complacent for a while, but I’m now trying to get more involved,” Washington said.
“Even when things got hot in the combat zone, (soldiers) didn’t quit and go home, they continued to defend this country,” said Tom Weiss, a veteran who fought in the Vietnam War. “Now that we’re old, they’re saying ‘we’ll take your benefits away and let you die’ and that’s wrong.”
“I hope people will realize the travesty that’s happening to our democracy,” Weiss said.
Contact reporter Alan Cohen: [email protected].
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Alan Cohen is an intern at the Salem Reporter and an undergraduate at Willamette University. Born and raised in Spain, he has also been involved in student journalism for three years, and is passionate about bringing a voice to underrepresented communities through ethical reporting.
