Saving Private Bone Spurs

Letter reprinted from the Brunswick Beacon, 09.18.25

West Point canceled its Sept. 25 Award Ceremony for actor, veterans advocate and Democrat Tom Hanks. “We don’t need destructive, WOKE recipients” like Hanks, Trump gloated.

The award, announced in June, cited Hanks’ positive portrayal of U.S. service members in “Saving Private Ryan,” “Forrest Gump,” “Apollo 13,” and “Greyhound,” his production of World War II-themed miniseries “Band of Brothers,” “The Pacific,” and “Masters of the Air,” and his extensive advocacy and charity work for veterans.

Hanks, the announcement noted, led efforts to build: the WWII Memorial in D.C., honoring President and WWII Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower; the D-Day Museum; and the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.

“Tom Hanks has done more for the positive portrayal of the American service member, more for the caring of the American veteran, their caregivers and their family, and more for the American space program and all branches of government than many other Americans,” said Republican Robert McDonald, former Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Board Chairman of West Point’s alumni organization.

In 2017, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation named its Caregiver Champion Award, honoring extraordinary support for military caregivers and veterans, after Hanks. Ms. Dole, the 2023 recipient of the award Hanks was to receive, chose Hanks to chair the Foundation’s Hidden Heroes campaign. “He certainly lives up to the criteria of ‘a great American,’” Dole said.

West Point grad Jason Dempsey, who taught there as an active-duty officer, blamed Trump’s political pressure. “It’s the perfect example,” Dempsey said, “of someone being good for the military but not perfectly aligned with current partisan priorities.”

Michael Cohen was vice president of the Trump Organization and Trump’s personal attorney from 2006-2018. Cohen says Trump, who called fallen heroes “suckers” and “losers,” admitted faking bone spurs to dodge the draft, telling Cohen, “You think I’m stupid? I wasn’t going to Vietnam!”

Trump’s bone spurs must be better. They didn’t keep Trump from kicking Hanks to the curb.

Michael Rush

U.S. Navy Tin Can/Greyhound Veteran

Leland