VETERANS: Not federally respected

On this Memorial Day I found all the recent revealing news concerning Veterans Hospitals so much more than just troubling. A recent AP photo on April 24 of beautiful Taylor’s Checkerspot butterflies on the prairie at a Washington state military base first provoked appreciation of their beauty, then as I read the description under the photo, provoked anger. These butterflies have names and are “federally” listed as endangered. Veterans have delayed care and digits/numbers, and do not seem to be under any “federal” agency to protect their endangerment.

Something very wrong is occurring here. We and many others could speak volumes, and life of humans in all cases far outweighs even the most beautiful butterflies.

Thank you, Veterans, for your service to this country that we might be free!

BETTY J. MARTIN

Coeur d’Alene