Discharge haunts walk to aid veterans

Discharge haunts walk to aid veterans
BY KATIE THISDELL

A Stafford County man walking across the country to honor veterans was less than honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 1988, records show.

For the past several months, Leonard “Mac” McQuown has been the face of the Florida-based Project Foot, an organization to help homeless veterans and military families. Last month, a Virginia agency released a warning about Project Foot, saying that required paperwork to verify charitable donations had not been submitted.

McQuown, 50, has touted his record with the Marines as part of a 15,000-mile, five-year walk across the country.

He previously listed an honorable discharge as part of his online biography on projectfoot.org, but told The Free Lance–Star this week that he actually received a bad-conduct discharge. He is still eligible for VA benefits.

Records from the Marine Corps show that during the last year of his active service, he had 200 days in unauthorized absences and confinement.

Donors should know McQuown’s background, said a Marine spokeswoman.

“When you look at this whole picture, I feel like the whole picture wasn’t there for most folks, and I feel like it’s significant enough” to be shared, said Maj. Shawn Haney, public affairs officer for Marine Corps Manpower & Reserve Affairs at Quantico.
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