Why 13 dog tags hang in my office.

 

There are thirteen dog tags hanging in my office.   Each one belonged to a friend I served with. Thirteen heroes I knew. Thirteen lives cut short in service to our country.   I held them up when I stood before the West Virginia state senate, demanding that we pass my medical cannabis bill. Because I’ve seen what war does to the minds and bodies of those who do make it home, and I would not let their sacrifice be in vain.   Today we honor not just the names I carry with me, but all the ones who didn’t make it home.   Those tags hang by my desk as a reminder. Of who we lost. Of what we fought for. Of what I still owe them.

And I’ll tell you right now—this is not the country we fought for.   Donald Trump’s reign of terror spits in the face of every veteran buried at Arlington—or in a quiet cemetery back home—who gave their life believing in what America stands for: democracy, dignity, and freedom from tyranny.   This is the same man who called our fallen “suckers” and “losers.”   The same man who wants to round up immigrants into camps, gut the Department of Veterans Affairs, and purge the federal government of anyone who won’t bend the knee.   I didn’t wear the uniform so some draft dodger and petty fail-son of a slum-lord empire could turn this country into a dictatorship. And the brothers and sisters in arms I lost sure as hell didn’t give their lives for this either.   Now we’ve got cowards like Richard Hudson—Trump’s budget enforcer—cheering him on, slashing services for veterans, and helping build the kind of country we used to fight against overseas.   This Memorial Day, I want you to remember our fallen brothers and sisters but I also want your courage.   I want you to stand up for what they stood for.   Because if we let this country fall into fascism on our watch, then we’ve broken the promise we made to every one of them.   If you’re feeling the weight of this moment—and you want to honor it with action—chip in to help us keep fighting. Maj. Richard Ojeda (Ret.) Candidate for Congress, NC-09

DOD DISCLAIMER: Use of rank, photos in uniform, or other insignia does not denote endorsement by the U.S. Army or Department of Defense.

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Richard Ojeda is a retired Army Major, combat veteran, former State Senator, lifelong public servant and a proud husband and father of two. Richard is running to flip NC-09 and fight for veterans and working families. DONATE Paid for by Ojeda for NC  ©2025 Ojeda for NC, all rights reserved   Our mailing address is: Ojeda for NC P.O. Box 35 Aberdeen, NC 28315   https://ojedafornc.com/ The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense visual information does not imply or constitute DOD endorsement.