Politics distracts from message at Veterans Day on the Hill

By Tim Engstrom
The Joint JROTC Color Guard led the march to the Capitol on April 8. The color guard has students from Como Park, Johnson, Washington and Humboldt high schools in St. Paul.

Cheers, jeers at the State Capitol

ST. PAUL — About 750 veterans and their supporters showed up to Veterans Day on the Hill at the St. Paul Armory and the Capitol Rotunda.

The 2025 version sure felt more political in nature than past versions of the annual gathering of veterans from the eight congressional chartered service organizations called the Minnesota Commanders’ Task Force.

“We would rather have our focus be on getting our legislation passed here in Minnesota, not on national politics,” said Minnesota American Legion Commander Carl Moon, who chairs the CTF this year.

Gov. Tim Walz faces a chorus of boos when he stepped to the microphone, then one veteran heckled him. Another veteran shouted down that veteran. Walz said he appreciated the passion and began his talk about funding veterans’ legislation.

Coverage from Twin Cities news media focused on when Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a 2024 candidate for vice president who still is making speaking engagements in other states, spoke before the crowd at the Rotunda. It was there he was greeted by jeers and cheers, but the boos were louder. This was followed by a veteran who heckled the governor over his military service, followed by another veteran who told that veteran to shut up.

This footage then made its way across social media platforms in edited clips.

“Fortunately, neither of those two veterans were wearing American Legion caps,” said Randy Olson, a member of the Department Legislative Committee.

The American Legion is a nonpartisan organization, and its members strive to remain focused on veterans issues, not on party politics.

Veterans, spouses and their supporters from across Minnesota descended on the Capitol Rotunda on April 9.

Olson, a member of Winnebago Post 82, added it was strange to see young men walking around with T-shirts that said “Veterans Against Trump.” This message of being for or against candidates is not what the CTF is about. He doubted whether they were part of any of the eight CTF organizations. They didn’t watch proceedings from one place like Legion, VFW, DAV, PVA and other veterans did.

“They purposely walked around and puffed out their chests, as if to say, ‘Read my shirt.’ I don’t bring my personal views to Veterans Day on the Hill. Neither should they.”

Moon said the CTF will address these issues at its May meeting.

Commissioner of Veterans Affairs Brad Lindsay spoke on how the House budget bill was cutting funding for veteran homelessness.

“Ending homelessness among veterans is a marathon, not a sprint,” Lindsay said. “After many years of effort and support from the Legislature on the issue, MDVA is right at the finish line with our partners in Ramsey County. This budget will take us out at our kneecaps.”

The American Legion Department of Minnesota produced a stand-up cutout image of the “Monument to the Living” statue on the Capitol grounds. He says. “Why do you forget us?” In this photo, from left, are state Rep. Emma Greenman of Minneapolis, Deputy Commissioner Eric Meittunen and Department Legislative Chair Kristy Janigo.

Ramsey is the last remaining area in Minnesota that hasn’t declared “functional zero” in terms of handling veterans homelessness. If it does, Minnesota becomes the fourth state to reach this goal. The other three are Connecticut, Delaware and Virginia.

Lindsay said the House budget hinders the MDVA in its staffing and operational needs at the three new veterans homes, resulting in empty beds at Bemidji, Preston and Montevideo.

The commissioner praised the past success of veteran omnibus bills and said veterans expect that to continue for years to come.

He said the MDVA supports the CTF’s efforts to protect veterans from claim sharks.

“Let me be clear. This is about protecting veterans and ensuring that they keep every dime they have earned with their service,” Lindsay said. “This is not about limiting their choice. This is about ensuring that they are making an informed choice and not feeding the very sharks that have been flying in from other states to feed in these hallways since the session started.”

Moon’s speech also pushed for passage of the claim shark bill.

“To my knowledge, 11 other states have passed claim-shark bills,” he said. “The American Legion is pushing Congress to pass one, too. In the meantime, we need a claim-shark bill here in Minnesota.”

Department Commander Carl Moon calls for the passage of the claim sharks bill and for removal of property taxes from post homes. He also calls for lawmakers to adjust exclusion rates on the homes of disabled veterans.

Moon called for removal of property taxes for post homes of veteran service organizations and he called for the passage of the bill that adjusts property tax burden for disabled veterans for the first time in 14 years.

Department Legislative Chair Kristy Janigo spoke at the Armory. Later, she was the emcee at the Capitol. She also ran down the list of bills veterans want passed this session: omnibus, property taxes and claim sharks.

“Some of my colleagues and in veteran service organizations have stories that would boil your blood about unaccredited parties taking advantage of veterans through aggressive marketing tactics for services they could have gotten for free from an accredited VSO representative,” Janigo said.

She added that food insecurity is a growing problem among veterans. She asked for state funding for a pilot program to continue for Metro Meals on Wheels in Hennepin, Ramsey and Anoka counties. She asked for that to be expanded to all counties through Lutheran Social Services CORE, which is administered by the MDVA.

Finally, she called on the state to provide tax cuts for charitable gambling considering the harm the Legislature did to e-pulltabs in 2023.

“We demand tax cuts to make us whole again and to allow us to continue to serve our communities through charitable donations,” Janigo said.

Veterans, supporters, media and legislators fill the Capitol Rotunda on April 9.