How about a transgender military parade compromise?

The op-ed, “Military parades like the one Trump envisions were used in other eras to celebrate victory,” (Feb. 9), suggested this military parade might not be the best idea. Alllow me to explain why it may be the worst.

In 2016, the U.S. spent 36 percent ($611 billion) of the world’s military expenditures, which was more than the next eight countries combined ($595 billion). President Trump can honor the military, not his own ego that wants the best parade money can buy, by stopping the longest war in U.S. history, playing out its 17th year in Afghanistan, whose end would be infinitely more parade-worthy.

Parades are all appearance, no substance and insulting in reducing our military to mere props. We best honor the military by finding peaceful ways to achieve our goals that avoid putting them in harms way. "Cadet Bone Spur" used other means to stay out of harms way and avoid military service in Vietnam.

Want my tax dollars for a military parade? Only if it’s exclusively the upwards of 15,500 transgender troops (2014 UCLA study) parading.

Jay Lustgarten

Stonington