DENVER - There was nationwide support for veterans on Friday, March 14, 2025, when protests were seen around the country reponding to the proposed cuts to federal programs and agencies. The proposed cuts by the Trump Administration include the Veterans Administration (VA). 

The VA supports veterans' physical and mental health. It supports family members of veterans, housing needs, education assistance, suicide prevention. They have a crisis hotline and many other supports.

To make cuts to the VA is to cut off a lifeline to veterans and military families. 

Some local veterans and supporters made the trip to Denver to participate in the protest at the Capitol. 

Laura  said that her biggest takeaway was that while she was at the protest she remembered her swearing-in day into
the US Army: "I Laura, do solemnly swear that I will SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA against all enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same….”

Laura continued, “I put the key points in all caps because although I am no longer in the military, by protesting on Friday I continue to uphold the promise I made on September 15, 2002, which now is defending the constitution from domestic enemies.” 

Cynthia said, “Vets From Ward, Nederland, Magnolia, and Coal Creek, we gathered to commute by shared car to bus to light rail to join—and lively up!—the hundreds of veterans and supporters already gathered in front of the Denver State Capitol to STAND FIRM and BE LOUD in the face of the ludicrous proposal by DOGE to cut 80,000 personnel from the already understaffed, underfunded Veterans Administratio”.

“Many veterans understand that despite personal challenges navigating with the VA system, they must now come out in numbers to fight for their VA benefits and those whose jobs are to serve those who served our Nation.

“Though small in number now, we remain galvanized as a bulwark against what we perceive as a shameful confederacy of dunces bound to falter due to their own greed, hubris, and illegal overreach.

“If DOGE is interested in improving the VA as it states, instead of bludgeoning agencies for the sole purpose of funding tax cuts for billionaires, they could simply conduct a Needs Assessment querying the needs of veterans and VA employees. Any cuts to VA funding and staffing WILL ALWAYS hurt all our veterans. 

“It felt powerful to join our voices and fury together at this transparent, ham-fisted overreach, and we look forward to more events. Boulder & Gilpin County Mountain Vets REPRESENT!" 

From Standing Offer came this: “If any of the DOdGE chinless sissies wants to play a game, I'll be their huckleberry in a woodchopping contest. Surely, those big tough men can beat a wee disabled old lady veteran, especially the silver-shoveled trust-funder tax-cheat choad holding an $18,000 chainsaw above his head and yelling ‘CHAINSAW!’ like a lil’ boy.

“Bonus: I'll teach you how to use that chainsaw, you silly twit. I can outperform your masculinity as a girl any day, without even breaking out my baritone ‘man voice,’ boys. Give me a real challenge.”

Steve  added, “Those of us in attendance were there in person at the capitol to show support for the VA and other social issues like Medicaid, Medicare, S[ocial] S[ecurity], education and virtually every government department. And to express our dissatisfaction with the current administration's attack on earned rights and benefits for veterans.

“The VA has been understaffed for years and firing 80-plus thousand employees is simply unacceptable. Current ‘leadership’ fails to connect with us voters on nearly every front.

“Our politicians need to know that we are watching them. And we will support their primary opponents if they can't show their constituents that they are fully engaged in doing their job representing us.”

John  made this observation: “On Friday, I had an opportunity to stand side by side with American heroes who chose to fight for our way of life and are continuing that same fight here at home.

“Seeing and hearing the support for our veterans was moving. Knowing that we were out there asking that our veterans be respected, cared for, and treated with dignity is tragic. The energy of the crowd was great and the response we received was great.

“But... if both of these things are true, then why must we continue needing to speak up about caring for all people in our nation, let alone the ones who have fought for it? If you meet a vet, stop and listen to their stories. Give them your ear, as they carried our rifles.”

The VA is a support system. We need support systems so people feel seen, valued, and cared for. This one is for veterans and their families. And our Peak to Peak vets demonstrate their strong support for that.