FARGO -- American flags waived as a band jauntily played military tunes during a rally Friday, May 23. Many drivers leaving the Fargo VA Medical Center honked and waived in support.
Army veteran Bruce Emel regularly uses the services at Fargo's VA Medical Center and even credits the staff there for keeping his brother, an Air Force veteran, alive last week in the face of a medical diagnosis.
"I'm concerned about what might happen to the VA as far as (federal spending) cuts are concerned," Emel said. "I really don't want to see anything happen to damage it."
He was one of more than 100 people who gathered outside the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs campus at 2101 Elm St. N. in Fargo, to protest President Donald Trump's plan to cut about 80,000 jobs from the VA as part of the administration's wide-ranging plan to reduce federal spending.
"I just hope they don't come to pass," Emel said. "Let me put it this way: if they start cutting (funding) now, it's going to get a lot worse later. That's what I fear, I really do."
This protest was coordinated by Indivisible Fargo-Moorhead -- the local chapter of a nationwide organization that works to elect progressive leaders and fight against Trump's agenda -- as part of its 'Fired Up Friday' rallies held metrowide.
Indivisible member Jolene Bruce has been protesting and calling her representatives in Congress every week since Trump took office because she is concerned about federal spending cuts to things such as veterans services, nonprofits and health care.
"I'm just going to fight every day," she said. "I'm not going to make it easy for them."
It's essential that veterans have access to the services they need, Air Force veteran Tracy Kaeslin told The Forum.
These cuts could have far reaching impacts to the well-being of veterans, she said.
One of her friends died by suicide, so Kaeslin said she is especially concerned funding cuts will impact people's ability to access the national suicide hotline.
The suicide hotline is a federally funded service that is completely free and confidential. Anyone can reach the hotline by calling or texting 988 or learn more about its services by visiting https://988lifeline.org/ .
The Trump administration is considering cutting some of the funding for the suicide hotline, NPR reported in April.
"I'm out today in support of our veterans and our federal workers at the VA," Kaeslin said. "As a veteran myself, I feel it's important that we show those two groups in particular some love, because it's a really trying time right now."
Friday's protest comes after union representatives for the Fargo Veterans Affairs system and other supporters of area veterans recently met with The Forum to explain how Trump's actions are harming veterans and why top VA leaders don't feel they can speak out.
The Trump administration's move to cut tens of thousands of jobs from the Veterans Health Administration nationwide will take away care and services from veterans and have "debilitating consequences," according to local veterans advocates.
Retired military veteran Ron Sager worked as a medic in the service, for a time, and cared for many combat casualties in hospitals.
VA services help veterans in ways no other health care facility can, he said.
"The VA understands all of those different parameters and knows how to care for them all," he said. "They are specialized to work with veterans, that's the bottom line."
Budget cuts at the VA are just another step toward privatizing veterans health care, he said, which will ultimately harm the people who served the country because private agencies are looking to make a profit and don't understand veterans issues as well.
"What we're doing isn't something that can be fixed in the next administration," he said. "That's the sad part of it, and this is going to impact everybody."