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N.H. veterans reflect on Trump’s first two weeks

Concord Monitor - 2/5/2017

Monitor staff

Being willing to fight and even die for one’s country can provide a unique perspective on American politics.

Reflecting on the first two weeks of the Trump administration, two New Hampshire veterans agreed Trump’s first actions as president were aggressive.

Matt Benton, commander of Concord VFW Post 1631, sees that as a strength, while American Legion Post 31 finance officer Ron Drapeau is a little more wary. He’s concerned about Trump making so many big decisions so quickly.

“Cart before the horse in a few areas,” he said. As Drapeau sat and sipped a Diet Pepsi at the Penacook veterans’ club, he explained he’s waiting for Trump to deliver on his economic promises.

Both men agreed, however, that the controversial immigration ban that halts entry by citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days and by any refugees for 120 days is good for national security.

That ban was been temporarily blocked by a federal judge following a nationwide order Friday, though the Department of Justice appealed that ruling Saturday.

“People don’t realize that without secure borders, we won’t have a strong nation,” said Benton, a 59-year-old Loudon resident. “There’s only one way to take care of terrorism, and that’s to hit it head on.”

After Benton served 22 years in the Army and fought in Operation Desert Storm against Iraqi forces, he said he grew more wary of different cultures.

“I’ve seen the bad in different countries and I’m a lot more vigilant than most people,” Benton said. “We’re just making sure the people we do let in belong here.”

Drapeau also saw the immigration ban as a good opportunity to screen out potential terrorists.

“I’m all for it if they let the ones in that are cleared,” he said.

Drapeau said he was “irked” by demonstrators who are against the ban, given former President Obama halted Iraqi refugee requests for six months in 2011. The action, which wasn’t made public at the time, was in response to Iraqi nationals in Kentucky attempting and failing to send money, explosives and weapons to Al-Qaida.

While he’s on board with the immigration ban, Drapeau is not as wild about the proposed wall along the United States southern border. The 67-year-old lifelong Penacook resident, who served in the Army and fought in the Vietnam War, said Trump seems to have “jumped in a little quickly” with that project.

“I fought side-by-side with Mexicans in the service,” Drapeau said. “Not all Americans are 100 percent either, if you know what I mean.”

Benton is still on board with Trump’s wall, however it gets paid for.

“What they oughtta do is take all the confiscated drug money and pay for it with that,” he said.

If the funds do come from taxpayers, Benton added, so be it. “I’m sure he’s got a plan to put the money back.”

Drapeau said money is what he wants Trump to focus on next.

“He needs to address the things that are most important to us right now – the homeless,” Drapeau said. “I’ve got fellow combat veterans that are homeless. Why should that happen?”

Drapeau said that he, too, is struggling financially. He retired after 45 years working for a printing company, and now he can barely support his family, including the two grandchildren living with him and his wife.

“Cost of living is out of sight,” Drapeau said. And that’s not the country he said he grew up in, where, even as one of the “forgotten children” of the Vietnam War, he could still make a proper living.

“I just feel it’s been taken away from us,” Drapeau said.

Meanwhile, the veteran sees the salaries that Washington politicians have, which average around $174,000 per congressman.

“They’re set for life – what do they do?” he asked. “They didn’t get down in the trenches.”

Both Drapeau and Benton are hopeful that Trump will continue down the road of making positive change for America.

“He didn’t become a billionaire because he’s stupid,” Benton said. “Trump is going to save us millions and billions in different areas.”

Drapeau is still waiting. He’s not so sure about former ExxonMobil executive Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State, and none of Trump’s executive orders seem to be reaching out to the less fortunate. Yet.

“He has commented on what he’d like to do – he hasn’t really delved into that,” Drapeau said.

Based solely on what Trump has done so far, Drapeau said there’s validity to the criticism of Trump pushing the limits set by previous American presidents.

He added, however, that a traditional American president hasn’t done much for him over the last decade. And if anyone is going to make dramatic change, economic or otherwise, it will be Trump.

“I’m sure he will, if he’s the man I think he is,” Drapeau said.

(Elodie Reed can be reached at 369-3306, ereed@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @elodie_reed.)