The Veterans Affairs motto is displayed outside department headquarters. (Leo Shane III/Military Times)
In his first message to Veterans Affairs staff shortly after confirmation in early 2020, Secretary Denis McDonough promised to make the department more “inclusive” as an institution, and to ensure that “VA welcomes all veterans, including women, veterans of color and LGBTQ veterans.”
But in the 16 months since, most VA facilities still welcome veterans with a motto emblazoned on the wall that is focused on men only, a message that is less-than-inviting for many veterans, critics say.
“There have already been so many good opportunities to change the motto and make it more inclusive to veterans who are women, transgender, gay,” said Kaitlynne Hetrick, government affairs associate at Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “But it feels like they’re just pushing the issue aside.”
The fight centers on the the long-used department motto, which quotes President Abraham Lincoln’s promise in his second inaugural address: “To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan.”
Advocates say the motto is too specific for today’s diverse veterans community and have lobbied for a change to gender-neutral language: “To care for those who shall have borne the battle, and for their families, caregivers and survivors.”
The idea has gained support from Democratic lawmakers and a few Republican members of Congress, but that idea was largely sidelined during President Donald Trump administration when then-VA Secretary Robert Wilkie publicly opposed any change, claiming it was a revision of American history.
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Author: Military Times
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Why change? We cannot rewrite history nor should we change the quotes of the American leaders.
It’s a historical quote by Lincoln. I find it more offensive that you even consider changing the wording. Rather than see that done, take action to replace it. All this does is continue the current trend of defacing, ignoring and destroying the true history of the United States and leave future generations without a true knowledge of our real history be it bad or good.
Even now, the current generation is confused.