Zinke, Tester, Daines speak to veterans

United States defense forces are endangered because the Defense Department bureaucracy is expanding and the number of active duty troops is on the decline.

That was the warning from U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., who spoke to the Montana American Legion convention at HRDC in Havre on Sunday morning.

Representatives from legion posts throughout Montana were at the annual meeting.

"Admirals and bureaucrats don't win wars," Zinke told the veterans.

Zinke's speech followed appearances by two other members of the Montana congressional delegation Friday. Democratic Sen. Jon Tester and Republican Sen. Steve Daines also spoke to the veterans.

Zinke spoke at length about the problem in the Middle East, expressing fear about the prospects of Iran getting nuclear weapons.

"The one thing that keeps me awake at night is not the economy but Iran."

He fears that Iranians want to create the Persian empire of old with control over much of the MIddle East

If Iran gets a nuclear weapon, he warned, it will start a nuclear arms race, Saudis and other Arab regimes will feel they will also have to become nuclear powers.

Energy independence is one answer to the problem, he said.

The United States is making progress, but not fast enough, at developing its own natural resources such as oil, he said.

Zinke said he supports programs aimed at helping returning veterans, but warned against creating a system when vets are dependant on the federal government.

Thirty percent of today's veterans are dependant on the government for some sort of assistance, he said.

He pointed to benefits provided from those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder

"I have seen the effects of PTSD," he said. "And PTSD is real."

But he warned against programs that encourage PTSD victims to become wards of the government.

Programs should be aimed at treatment and mandatory job training, he said.

Sen. Jon Tester

Tester praised the veterans for the contributions they made for the country and the work the legion does for veterans and their communities.

He said the problems faced by veterans seeking care from the VA health care system were outrageous, and said the Department of Veterans Affairs is making progress at resolving the issues, but nowhere near fast enough.

He recalled that he has held town meetings around the state to get input and brought Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert A. McDonald to Montana to address these issues.

But he expressed concern that even as the department works to improve services, some in Congress are working to slash the department's budget.

Last week the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to make deep cuts in the budget.

"I hate to bring up politics," Democrat Tester said. "But the vote was along party lines."

Sen. Steve Daines

Daines said he was fearful of letting U.S. defenses slip.

He recalled seeing a sign in a commander's office at Malmstrom Air Force Base that read "scaring the hell out U.S. enemies since 1969."

He said he hopes that kind of spirit will prevail in the armed forces, and that the country would be well served.

In talking with a reporter after the session, Daines said he appreciated the work that American Legion posts do around the state.

He said the work they do for other veterans often goes unheralded.

"And they do a lot of great work for Montana and for the country," he said.