Barbershop: Staging A U.S. Military Parade : NPR
Jas Boothe
And there's one more story from the White House we want to focus on now. Earlier in the week  we learned that the president has asked the Pentagon to look into staging a military parade. It seems intended as a celebration of the military and a demonstration of military might. So we thought  who better to ask about this than the people who served in uniform and whose service is being honored? And where better to talk about this than in the Barbershop  because that's where we talk to interesting folks about what's in the news and what's on their mind? So joining us today is  Jas Boothe .  She  served for 16 years in the Army and the Army Reserves.  She  served in Kosovo  among other assignments. As  she  prepared to deploy for Operation Iraqi Freedom  though   she  was diagnosed with cancer.  She  was eventually discharged. And  she  now runs Final Salute Inc. That's an organization that helps homeless women veterans  as  she  once was.  She 's also the mother of a son serving in the Air Force and is the wife of a former Marine. Major  thank you so much for speaking with us.
PLENZLER: Yeah  I have concerns mostly around the intent and the impact of the event  plus the cost. I agree with  Jas  on that. And  you know  our national military culture  we have parades where we roll out the active duty when it's a victory parade. And the war in Afghanistan is still going on. And the war in Iraq and Syria is still going on. So  I mean  we're nowhere near the end of those two conflicts. And it may go on for some years now.
MARTIN: And what about that   Jas ? I mean  one of the things that was striking to me is that a number of the people talking about this  particularly some of the millennial era - millenniums  millennials  rather - who have been - who are very active on social media  and one of their arguments was that this kind of conjures up the image of authoritarian  you know  governments like  you know  North Korea. You know  obviously  North Korea  that these huge displays of might are kind of a signature - Venezuela  Russia. I'm going to ask you the same thing - what Sherman's point is. What if - what about something that says  I respect and appreciate you?
MARTIN: OK. Well  as we get closer  we'll call you back and see how you all feel then. That's Sherman Gillums Jr.  Marine veteran  chief strategy officer for American Veterans  AMVETS. Joe Plenzler  another Marine veteran  director of media for The American Legion. Jas Boothe  former veteran  founder of Final Salute. We want to emphasize they're all speaking for themselves. But thank you all so much for coming. And  if I may - and I understand it's controversial - thank you for your service.
And there's one more story from the White House we want to focus on now. Earlier in the week  we learned that the president has asked the Pentagon to look into staging a military parade. It seems intended as a celebration of the military and a demonstration of military might. So we thought  who better to ask about this than the people who served in uniform and whose service is being honored? And where better to talk about this than in the Barbershop  because that's where we talk to interesting folks about what's in the news and what's on their mind? So joining us today is  [TGT] .  [TGT]  served for 16 years in the Army and the Army Reserves.  [TGT]  served in Kosovo  among other assignments. As  [TGT]  prepared to deploy for Operation Iraqi Freedom  though   [TGT]  was diagnosed with cancer.  [TGT]  was eventually discharged. And  [TGT]  now runs Final Salute Inc. That's an organization that helps homeless women veterans  as  [TGT]  once was.  [TGT] 's also the mother of a son serving in the Air Force and is the wife of a former Marine. Major  thank you so much for speaking with us.
PLENZLER: Yeah  I have concerns mostly around the intent and the impact of the event  plus the cost. I agree with  Jas  on that. And  you know  our national military culture  we have parades where we roll out the active duty when it's a victory parade. And the war in Afghanistan is still going on. And the war in Iraq and Syria is still going on. So  I mean  we're nowhere near the end of those two conflicts. And it may go on for some years now.
MARTIN: And what about that   Jas ? I mean  one of the things that was striking to me is that a number of the people talking about this  particularly some of the millennial era - millenniums  millennials  rather - who have been - who are very active on social media  and one of their arguments was that this kind of conjures up the image of authoritarian  you know  governments like  you know  North Korea. You know  obviously  North Korea  that these huge displays of might are kind of a signature - Venezuela  Russia. I'm going to ask you the same thing - what Sherman's point is. What if - what about something that says  I respect and appreciate you?
MARTIN: OK. Well  as we get closer  we'll call you back and see how you all feel then. That's Sherman Gillums Jr.  Marine veteran  chief strategy officer for American Veterans  AMVETS. Joe Plenzler  another Marine veteran  director of media for The American Legion. Jas Boothe  former veteran  founder of Final Salute. We want to emphasize they're all speaking for themselves. But thank you all so much for coming. And  if I may - and I understand it's controversial - thank you for your service.