Member Activities
View NSL4A on the Road
Additional Opinion Articles on Medium in

Trump, Harris Differ on Support for Vets Exposed to Forever Chemicals
(OpEd) Brigadier General Steve Anderson | Defense Opinion
As voters, it’s imperative to consider which candidate is prepared to tackle the pressing issues facing our veterans. The contrast is clear: one candidate is seeking to address a critical health crisis among our military personnel, while the other looks down on those who were disabled on the battlefield.

MGEN Randy Manner discusses the VP debate on BBC World News
(Interview) Major General Randy Manner | BBC News
Retired Major General Randy Manner provides his insights on both VP Candidates in response to the VP Debate that occurred on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 in New Your City.

Donald Trump’s disrespect for military service and the sacrifice of veterans is a disgrace to our nation
(OpEd) Rear Admiral David M. Lichtman, M.D., USN (Ret) | Penn Live
We cannot afford to have a leader who prioritizes self-promotion over the needs of our military. Kamala Harris, with her proven commitment to our service members and their families, is the leader we need to guide our nation through these challenging times. She understands the true meaning of service and is prepared to honor the sacrifices made by our military.

Donald Trump Should Never Return as Commander-in-Chief
(OpEd) Major General Charles Bolden | National Security Journal
America cannot afford to allow Donald Trump to return as Commander-in-Chief. His actions demonstrate a profound lack of respect for the very men and women he would once again lead. A leader who uses the graves of our heroes as a backdrop for self-promotion is not fit to command those who sacrifice everything for our nation. The sanctity of our military and the honor of our fallen demand a leader who respects, not exploits, their sacrifices.

Major General Randy E. Manner (Ret.) on National Security Leaders' Support for Vice President Harris
(Interview) Major General Randy Manner | MSNBC
Retired Major General Randy Manner discusses his public support for Kamala Harris, Donald Trump’s Afghanistan mishandling and the ignominy of a staged campaign event at Arlington Cemetery.

I’m a Disabled Vietnam Veteran. Arlington National Cemetery Is No Place for Trump’s Political Theatrics.
(OpEd) The Honorable Joseph Zengerle | U.S. News
It is time for all Americans to stand up and say that enough is enough. We must demand that our leaders, regardless of their political affiliation, treat our sacred sites with the respect they deserve. And we must make it clear that anyone who fails to do so has no business leading this great nation.

Sen. Vance, should we ‘go to hell’ too?
(OpEd) Major General Steven J. Lepper | The Hill
Trump’s disrespect for the memory of every service member buried at Arlington was not just a political misstep — it was a moral failure and, as Americans, we must reject it. Rather than rejecting it, though, his running mate doubled down. In response to a reporter’s question about the incident, and apparently believing Harris had criticized it when she had not, Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), told her to “go to hell.”

Leave No American Behind: Support policies that help every American
(OpEd) Carlos Martínez | La Voz
The sacrifices of our military and their families deserve more than just lip service. They deserve leaders who understand and embody the values of service, sacrifice, and mutual respect. As we approach the election, it is crucial that we support candidates who will uphold these values and reject those who only care about appearances. Our democracy, like our military, depends on leaders who are committed to the well-being of all, not just the privileged few.

Charles Bolden: Honoring our promise and commitment to military families
(OpEd) Major General Charles Bolden | Trib Live
As we move forward, let us embrace this moment with urgency. The fight for justice and support for our veterans continues, and together, we can forge a path where every service member and their family receive the honor and care they have earned. Our commitment to our troops and their families reflects the strength and resilience of our communities and our nation. Let us stand united in this vital endeavor, ensuring that our military families are supported, empowered and honored.

NSL4A Members Join other Veterans on Stage at DNC
NSL4A Founder and President retired Navy Rear Admiral Mike Smith and member former Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security and retired Army Colonel John Tien joined Marine veteran Congressman Rueben Gallego and other veterans on stage at the Democratic National Convention to demonstrate veteran support for VP Harris to be the next President of the United States.

Trump Insults Medal of Honor Recipients
(OpEd) Rear Admiral Tom Jurkowsky | RealClear Defense
Trump has now hit a new low with comments that compare the Medal of Honor with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. As a former Commander-in-Chief, his remarks reflect a complete ignorance about the military and what the Medal of Honor. represents.

'Outright disgrace': JD Vance disrespects veterans' code in attack against Tim Walz
(Interview) Major General Randy Manner | Fayetteville Observer
In a move that crosses the line from political rivalry to outright disgrace, JD Vance, Donald Trump’s potential vice president, has accused Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’s choice for Vice President, of “stolen valor.” This baseless and inflammatory charge not only disrespects the shared code of honor among veterans but also dangerously trivializes the very concept of stolen valor. What Vance has done is more than just ugly — it’s a deliberate attempt to undermine the dignity of military service and exploit it for political gain.

Tim Walz personifies the best of the working class
(OpEds)Rear Admiral Joe Sestak, USN, (Ret) | The Philadelphia Inquirer
Walz wore the cloth of our nation for 24 years, and was selected by merit to rise to one of the top ranks available to our military’s treasure: its enlisted men and women. Who better to have the back of working men and women in the White House?

PACT Act shows Biden’s leadership on veterans’ issues
(OpEd) Vice Admiral Herm Shelanski | The Virginian Pilot
When it comes to veterans, former President Donald Trump is all talk and no action. He tried to mislead the public with sweeping claims that his administration dramatically improved veterans’ health care, but it did not. On camera, he claims to support our military. Off camera, he sells them out, disrespecting our military leaders while praising despots such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Why Donald Trump made me angry on Memorial Day
(OpEd) Rear Admiral Tom Jurkowsky | Capital Gazette
If Trump ever wants to lead this country again as the commander-in-chief, he needs to obtain a sense of compassion, sympathy and humanitarian values — qualities any leader must possess.

Congress Needs To Do the Right Thing—Support Our Combat-Injured Servicemembers
(OpEd) Rear Admiral Tom Jurkowsky | RealClear Defense
The former Chief of Naval Information discusses why it’s time for Congress to do the right thing and fix an inequity that is affecting our combat injured veterans.

Rear Admiral Michael Smith | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel & WUWM
NSL4A Founder and President Michael Smith speaks to group of veterans and their families in Milwaukee
Reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and WUWM

The VA assists Veterans in a Way the Private System Cannot
(OpEd) David Shulkin | Ripon Forum
Once inside the VA, I saw firsthand the unique attributes of the system, and if reformed and optimized, that VA could meet the needs of veterans in a way that could not be replicated in the private sector.

Former VA secretary: The time is now to heed this critical lesson about the cost of war
(OpEd) Secretary David Shulkin | CNN
Dr. David Shulkin was the ninth secretary of the US Department of Veterans Affairs in the Trump administration and the VA’s undersecretary for health in the Obama administration.