Janet Simmon: Honor veterans by not asking millions more to pay price

To The Daily Sun,

This week we give special thought to our veterans. 

In 2026, the U.S. spent over $1 quadrillion in direct military costs: $961.6 billion in Pentagon appropriations under the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act with $152.3 billion added by budget reconciliation. That is $2,885 for every man, woman and child in the U.S.

Have readers seen pictures of bombed out cities this year? The damage to the environment by the military is beyond measure: the rubble, debris in the air, farmland no longer usable, polluted water. The environmental damage caused by the mining and manufacturing and testing of weapons is immeasurable.

Our veterans suffer physical and emotional pain. Their families suffer through agonizing hours as their loved ones cry out in pain through seemingly endless days and nights.

In 2024, there were 6,488 suicides among veterans, on average 17.7 per day (mentalhealth.va.gov).

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is currently the No. 6 most common Veterans Affairs disability claim and the No. 1 most prevalent service-connected mental health condition among veterans.

It is time for our country to invest more in diplomacy and less in war.

Whether calling it Armistice Day (a formal agreement to end fighting) or Veterans Day, honor our veterans by not asking millions more to pay the price.

Janet Simmon

Laconia