Vets must stay vigilant to protect our country

With all the attention the United States Constitution is getting these days, I am reminded by a U.S. Air Force master sergeant that more than 22 million veterans have taken an oath to defend our Constitution.

Although we are retired I can’t remember anyone rescinding that oath. We live throughout the states and we could form a loosely knit alert defense against a possible domestic enemy or, although it seems a remote possibility, a potential dictator. We could be helpful in identifying such a threat.

Most potential dictators are cut from a common cloth and should be fairly easy to detect. They are obsessed with changing the government to one that conforms with their own ideology. They were likely associated with subversives, revolutionaries or terrorist in their past. They are prone to demonize a group or class of people. They sometimes praise or admire other successful dictators and entertain plans to form their own private quasi-military organizations. They usually try to name them benign names such as Freedom League or Acorn Corp. or something like that.

They often become belligerent and paranoid when challenged on even small points. They are adamant about disarming all citizens. Veteran citizens we can still help to protect our Constitution. Be vigilant.

DALE ROBERTSON

Captain, USAF (retired)

Laclede