Last year I just knew someone would have written something about the June 6 anniversary of D-Day, and the 1944 allied attack on fortress Europe during World War II. It did not happen.

I did write a letter to the editor telling our veterans that I was sorry for not doing so myself , and I am still sorry for that inconsiderate non-mention of our veterans. Last year has come and gone, and it is time to make amends if I can.

Not just to the veterans of WWII, but to all veterans. I again feel like I have personally dropped the ball. I failed to expedite the request of no fewer than two-dozen veterans. They have come to me not as a group, but as individuals — all with the same request. That being: Write about our veterans and the dishonorable treatment that they are receiving at the hands of our own government. I will do this.

There is so much to write about, but I do not have the space to do so here. I know I will leave out a lot. I do not get paid to write and I do not write for a living, even though some hold me accountable as a professional writer, which is wrong of them. You try to write, then you judge me. I will do the best I can. I have to start it this way.

A veteran of these United States of America, regardless of the time period in which they served from before 1776 to 2015. These men and women were and are a breed apart. Regardless of peacetime or wartime service, each and every man and woman who swore an oath of allegiance to the United States of America knew they were different.

A veteran, man or woman, is an individual who signed a blank check payable to the American people for an amount up to and including their life. No greater gift could any man or woman give their country. That man or woman who walked away from their husband or wife and children to go into harm’s way to defend freedom for the people of this great nation have an idea of the sacrifice. The only true way of knowing what this sacrifice means is if you served also.

I could sit before you all day and tell you about our military and you would only understand part of what I was saying to you. You would not know the feeling of missing nine to 12 meals and what that does to you mentally and physically. Unless you have. You would not know the feeling of missing 70 to 100 hours of sleep and what that does to your mind. Unless you have.

Most of you love to go camping from time to time. Two to three days at a time. Most veterans don’t care to go camping anymore. Reason being: You try camping 30 to 40 days at a time and being wet 90 percent of that time. The novelty of camping is gone for some of these vets.

Years back when we still had C-rats (combat meals in cans, not MREs of today, meals ready to eat ) you could tell the difference between the Marines who had been in the field a lot and ones who had not. Two small things — a pair of pliers for getting the C-rat can out of the fire and a big bottle of Texas Pete. The Texas Pete was to kill the flavor of the C-rat’s meal. But if you’re hungry, well, food is food.

These are just some of the points that I try to bring out. Our veterans — and I mean all of our veterans — have given this country more than our country has given back. I promise you that.

Those two-dozen veterans that I spoke of did not want me to write about them. They wanted me to write about the Veterans Administration and the disrespect that they, the veterans, have received. This disrespect starts at the top with Obama’s administration and most of the VA field offices and the poor-to-the-point-of-being-ridiculous service that these men and women have received.

I had one veteran come to my shop and his story about how he was treated was simply a joke. He told how the doctor at the Hamlet office would have him bring in all of his meds so the doctor could count them to see if he could tell if the veteran was abusing them. For what reason, I asked, the veteran. Were you taking more than you should have in the past?

The veteran said there was no reason for this. I gave him no reason to think I was abusing my meds.

I question everything and everybody if I see a reason to do so. With this veteran, I had no reason to question him at all. I had heard this same story from no less then six veterans. I knew he was telling the truth. This Veterans Administration doctor was sent away from Hamlet; I do not think he has been replaced at this point.

Part of my problem with this doctor is he would pour the meds out on top of his desk and do his counting by picking up each and every one of the pills, placing them in the palm of his hand and then putting them back in the bottle. I don’t think so. No rubber gloves? What the hell was this cream-of-the-crop doctor thinking?

I’m clean — I’ve been told I am too clean. How can you be too clean? That’s my problem with this doctor or any other doctor. I don’t know where your hands have been. Now, you think I’m going to take these meds after you let me watch you do this sideshow trick? No way.

I was also told by another veteran that he was told not to complain to anybody within the Veterans Administration. It would not go anywhere — the complaint, that is. He was told to go outside of the VA. Who told him this, you ask? A Veterans Administration official was the one who told him to do this. What does that tell you about the VA?

The Veterans Administration fired its top official last year or he stepped down. Either way, it did no good. Nothing has changed within the VA. Veterans die every day because they never get to see a doctor in a timely manner. Does this matter to this administration? I don’t see it.

Same old little game being played by Obama. Let’s have a photo op, just like his visit to a VA hospital in Phoenix early this year . You know, the one where his wife did not have the time to lay over for two hours, so she needed to have another jet to get her back to Washington so she could plan another vacation. “Damn the veterans; what have they done for me?”

The veterans gave Michelle the right to stand before a group of people and tell the world that this was the first time that she was proud to be called an American and the first time she was proud to be an American. This took place in 2008 when Obama got the Democratic nomination to run for office.

If you are on welfare and have done nothing but have seven children with seven men out of wedlock , they are treated better then the veterans who have given their arms and legs to defend this nation. The ones who have been responsible for caring for our veterans and have not done so should be fired.

Has this happened? It has not. In a lot of cases they were put into higher positions. Given raises and vacations.

Our government is broken. Government has gotten too big for its britches. It’s time for a real change and not this B. S. that’s being passed out to our veterans. People, if we do not stand up with and for our military and our law enforcement officers, we’re going to have a bad day real soon.

The ones who protect and serve, it’s time to protect and serve them for a change. It is also time for the veterans to march on Washington. Damn this 1 million man march. We, the veterans of this country, are a strong force to say the least. We are more than 20 million strong, not counting our families. It’s time to do something while we still can.

Stand together as one for what the veterans have given us. That is the right of freedom for every man, woman and child of this free America.

I beg of every veteran who reads these simple words. Respond back to this paper, respond online and on Facebook. This can be pushed out all over this country — do so.

People like to talk about their families online. Talk about our military family of veterans. Do something. Say something. Stand up shout as loud as we can: This treatment of our veterans cannot and will not stand without a fight.

We have fought battles for our country . Now we must fight a new battle for just treatment of all of our veterans and for our future veterans. For without veterans, we will not stand as a free America. If we falter and fail our veterans, then we fail as a nation.

Robert Lee is a concerned citizen and former U.S. Marine who owns and operates Rockingham Guns and Ammo. His column appears here each Saturday.