Foxtrot Delta Tango: Veterans Unite Against Fascism

The 2025 Bonus Army: Inside the Unite4Veterans protest in Washington, DC

Veterans march in Washington, DC for the  Unite4Veterans Rally

At the prodding of comedian Cliff Cash and organizations that involved many influential Progressive/Liberal members of congress and a slew of influencers, thousands of US Veterans converged on the national mall at the Unite4Veterans Rally.  Our message was clear; “IMPEACH, REMOVE, IMPRISON!”  as Congressmen Al Green (D-Colo.) and Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) spoke of the seven comprehensive articles of impeachment they introduced and detailed plans to continue pushing for the legislative action required.  

This unending, poisonous, corrupt, disgusting, nuclear dumpster fire that we’ve allowed into the White House is proposing the firing of 70-80k Veterans’ Affairs (VA) employees.  Try to wrap your mind around that.  These men and women of all genders, orientations, physical appearances, and ableness sacrificed more in ONE day of service than this fucking burger addled TACO has in his entire bloody life.  Yet, here the regime is, trying to deal a deathblow to our soldiers’ promised benefits to appease his oligarch sugar daddies and hold on to power (and remain out of prison).  

The proposed cuts to VA staff would compound hardships for those vets/feds that already lost their positions thanks to the woefully inept DOGE shitstorm.

This is not unprecedented, and the Bonus Army of 1932 already showed the US government what happens when it forgets its favorite cannon sons and daughters.  What is unprecedented is the absolute turd sitting atop this mess, and his enabling a fascist takeover of the “World’s Oldest Democracy.”  

We united at the capital to not only protest the gross mismanagement of veteran affairs under dumb ass Donnie’s regime, but also the wholesale betrayal of everything our “shining city on the hill” stands for.  It’s like these fascist fucks completely forgot about the “… with liberty and justice for all” part of the song, and could only hear “…under God,” which they twisted to their own designs.

2025’s Bonus Army showed up slowly, starting around 0900 in the morning.  It was a particularly muggy day with humidity that ensured most of us were already covered in sweat before assembling.  Most of us started to connect with the various groups, organizations, officials, medical teams, supply resources (cold water and shade tents) and tried to get a chance to hang out with the “Dropkick Murphy’s.”  As I surveyed the area, building a bit of a situation report for our crew and others, I saw Cliff Cash of comedy fame, Zak Kimball, Tim Fullerton, and Kristofer Goldsmith of The Find Out podcast, members of the Meidas Touch podcast, Adam Kinzinger, AFGE President Everett Kelley, JollygoodGinger (Youtube), the always bad ass senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and so many more amazing people.  Many of these folks gave powerful speeches about the rights of our veterans, the sacrifices they make, the promises the regime is trying to ignore, the importance of our federal workers, and the groundbreaking research into medical therapies that have been completed through the VA. 

But the good stuff happened when I walked around the perimeter of the gathering, wearing a GoPro strapped to my chest like an arc reactor.  I felt a little goofy, but walking around and seeing the sheer mass of people, hilarious, poignant, irreverent, and solemn signs, costumes, unit patches, hats marking different services, and general comradery pumped me the fuck up!  

I spoke to different people as I walked around, engaging folks with funny shirts, amazing costumes (like a Cheeto cheese covered lady liberty), and signs that made me pound my chest and raise my fist (“STOP THIS NAZI SHIT”).  

One unifying idea permeated the crowd.  FOXTROT DELTA TANGO.  

Vets of all different shapes, colors, sizes, genders, services, ableness, and creeds all united not only to celebrate each other, but to raise their voices and fists against the fascist shitfuckery meant to fleece everyone besides the top 2% of the wealthy.

What did I learn?  People are awake, angry, emboldened, organizing, and the stress test has begun.  Regimes always fail, and we make sure we contribute to the speed of said fall.  

Fuck fascism!  Fuck the Oligarchs!