Former naval officer rails against Trump over troops missing holidays with family to be 'pawns' on border

A former naval officer railed against President Donald Trump for using service members as "pawns" on the border in a new Washington Post op-ed.

"I worry that lost amid both sides of the debate, is a basic fact about members of the military: They are people," Sarah Armstrong said. "The troops don’t deserve to be used as pawns in a political game to rally the president’s base. The men and women in uniform that I worked beside every day as a junior naval officer warrant much more respect."

She explained that troops will miss holidays with their family by being deployed at the border, she said that it's even worse because they are not serving a clear mission and purpose under the president.

"They will also miss holidays with their families while knowing that they are not fighting a war or serving a clear mission," she wrote.

NPR reported that Trump plans to extend the deployment of troops at the border until January.

Armstrong added, "I know from my own experience that it’s much easier to maintain strong morale, even in tough times, when you believe that what you’re doing has a purpose."

She then explained how Trump's treatment of troops members is dangerous.

"President Trump has consistently shown a lack of respect for the military and their families’ sacrifices. He has yet to visit service members overseas and has even publicly fought with Gold Star families of service members killed in the line of duty. With this president, his only mission seems to be serving himself," she said.

Read the full article here.