Montini: A $30 million parade to Donald Trump's ego

According to the White House the military parade President Donald Trump has ordered up for himself could cost upwards of $30 million.

The event will be held on Veteran’s Day and, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff will include troops dressed in uniforms dating back to the Revolutionary War.

But make no mistake.

It’s about Trump. And that is a tragedy.

The better way to spend the money 

There is no doubt the money could be better spent improving health care for veterans, or purchasing new equipment for active military personnel, or raising their pay, or funding programs to assist the families of those who serve. Or any number of other things.

Just last week a disturbed veteran killed three women at  a California counseling service for veterans who suffer post-traumatic stress disorder.

I’d guess those studying how to deal with PTSD could use some portion of that $30 million.

And there is still the problem of veterans committing suicide at the alarming rate of 20 per day.

The president's Paris envy 

Trump decided he wanted a military parade after seeing such a thing in France last summer.

An official from the Pentagon told the Washington Post, “The marching orders were: I want a parade like the one in France.”

The key word there is I.

I want.

The president’s office issued a statement early on saying that the reason for the parade is because “President Trump is incredibly supportive of America’s great service members who risk their lives every day to keep our country safe.”

He should be, of course. We all should be.

But isn’t providing those service members with actual service more important than a parade?

Trump's imagined sense of bravery

As a young man Trump did everything he could to successfully avoid military service during the Vietnam War.

He’s more courageous now. At least according to himself.

After the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida Trump said, “I really believe I'd run in, even if I didn't have a weapon.”

The president could do our veterans a great service if he simply awarded himself a medal for his imagined bravery and spent the rest of the $30 million on programs to help the real heroes.

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