Trump: Veteran feels conflicted about him

I am a proud Air Force veteran. I look back on my years of service with nothing but fond memories. I remember being very emotional on that August day in 1976 when I took the oath to serve my country and give my life, if necessary.

After leaving the Air Force, I went on to work and retire from the VA after 29 years of service. I still feel that call to duty today but am also very conflicted. I served to protect the freedoms and rights that many of us take for granted and that other countries can only dream about.

That includes the right to choose who we love and who we marry, whether or not to have a family, practice a religion, speak out and protest, and vote for elected officials

But how do I emotionally and morally reconcile with a leader who is trampling all over our democracy? What was I defending again?

This story was originally published August 6, 2017 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Trump: Veteran feels conflicted about him."