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America needs its millions of military veterans to become strong activists to defend the republic and the constitution! The time for sitting on the sidelines and complaining about what is happening today in America must come to an end if America's constitutional republic is to endure.

Due to the many powerful foreign and domestic enemies that America faces in 2023, it is critical for the nation's nearly 17 million military veterans to "close ranks", unite, and become actively engaged, especially on state and county levels, in the current war against America's powerful enemies. Perhaps at no other time in American history has there been such a diverse conglomerate of powerful, well-funded and determined enemies all having essentially the same goal: the demise of America's constitutional republic and individual freedoms.

Regardless of a veteran's political philosophy or political party, veterans need to put aside their differences and unify in honor of the tremendous sacrifices made by generations of their military forefathers---costly sacrifices such as those depicted in the 1998 movie Saving Private Ryan. Having viewed this movie on Memorial Day 2023, this writer (a Vietnam veteran) felt compelled, if not obligated, to compose this "message" to ALL veterans irrespective of partisan political beliefs or other current considerations that divide veterans rather than unify them.

The sacrifices made by America's warriors must not be wasted. They are the very high human costs often required to defend and preserve liberty and God-given natural rights/freedoms---freedoms such as freedom of religion, speech, peaceful assembly, and the freedom/right to own and bear arms.

Given the above, this article offers several suggestions for veterans and veterans organizations in all 50 states to unite and become meaningfully engaged against the nation's many diverse enemies. Suggestions are offered for state and county actions rather than actions involving the federal government. But first, it is useful to identify many of America's foremost enemies.

Foreign enemies of America's republic include actors such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Iran, North Korea, the Taliban, Russia, and the international (and domestic) proponents of the Great Reset who strive to establish and rule a new, one-world government. Reportedly, America's constitutional republic is the major obstacle preventing the establishment of this one-world government where non-elite citizens will have their liberty and personal freedoms greatly curtailed. Principal implementers of the Great Reset include the World Health Organization (WHO), World Economic Forum (WEF), multi-billionaire Bill Gates, billionaire George Soros, and elements of the United Nations.

Domestic enemies of the republic include proponents of socialism, Marxism, racial divide, the Antifa organization, and proponents of critical race theory (CRT) encompassing leftist equity, diversity & inclusion (EDI) teachings. Regretfully, domestic enemies also include radical, far-left members of the current federal government who believe America needs to be transformed and be ruled by the elite rulers of a new one-world government headquartered in a foreign country.

Suggested State and County Actions for Veterans.

In each of the 50 states and hundreds of counties nationwide, there are multiple veterans organizations that could contact each other to coordinate actions, as a demonstration of unity, in their respective states and counties.

For example, in Pennsylvania or Milwaukee County, WI, the leaders of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Concerned Veterans for America, Military Officers Association of America, Marine Corps League, Fleet Reserve Association, Air Force Association, Vietnam Veterans of America, National Guard Association, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and other veterans groups could form a Pennsylvania or a Milwaukee County Veterans Joint Actions Group (VJAG) to develop plans to jointly accomplish actions such as those listed below:

1) Elections. Suffice it to say that veterans need to be deeply immersed in the conduct of elections to ensure, as much as possible, fair and honest elections---the 2024 national election arguably could be the most important election in recent memory. It also is extremely important for candidates to be elected to high office who fully support free enterprise, capitalism, limited government, secure borders, US energy independence, and other conservative values.

- State and county VJAGs could follow the example of Virginia's American Veterans Vote organization in the manner in which the organization supports conservative candidates for office and conducts successful efforts to get greater numbers of veterans and citizens to vote and vote for conservative candidates.

- State and county VJAGs could also be instrumental in identifying and enabling veterans to serve as election poll workers or poll watchers in an effort to minimize instances of voting fraud and election criminal activity.

- The above suggested actions for State and county VJAGs are especially important in the election "swing" states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and possibly a few more..

2) Schools and Colleges. Both at the college and K-12 grade levels, state and county VJAGs need to be actively opposing the teaching of systemic white supremacy, race baiting, and CRT with its underlying ideological leftist framework of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Inter-racial groups of veterans/VJAGs could arrange to make "unity presentations" at these institutions and schools to explain how the teachings of CRT are Marxist in nature, specifically designed to divide Americans into different racial "camps" at odds with each other rather than unify them into a strong populace and nation, etc.

- VJAGs could/should join forces with organizations such as No Left Turn in Education and Turning Point USA that actively oppose the teaching of systemic white supremacy and CRT to college and K-12 children.

3) The Great Reset and Forthcoming WHO and WEF Regulations.

- State and county VJAGs need to actively oppose the plans and designs of the proponents of the Great Reset to establish a one-world government that will control people's lives by controlling their health and their money. On both state and county levels, VJAGs need to actively support laws/ordinances that protect citizens' safety, health, and well-being from the oppressive dictates of the WHO and WEF.

- The recent ordinance passed by the Florida Collier County government is an example of an action that VJAGs need to support and encourage state legislators and county commissioners to take throughout America.

In conclusion, irrespective of political beliefs and other considerations that have heretofore caused veterans to not unite into an effective "fighting force" to protect and defend the nation and constitution, it is time to set aside any and all differences, unite, and defend our precious republic. Establishing Veterans Joint Actions Groups (VJAGs) on both state and county levels is suggested as one way to begin accomplishing this objective.

Paul S. Gardiner is a retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel, Vietnam veteran, and avid lover of America. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Alabama, and the US Army War College.