SECRETARY SHULKIN: I have such great admiration and respect for VSOs, and I understand their passion and I share their commitment that it is so important that this country honor its responsibility to our veterans. That doesn't mean that you don't go back and revisit programs that have been around for a long time and figure out different ways to use those resources, as long as they're directed to helping veterans and more veterans.
Now, I understand there's not always going to be agreement. This is Washington, and we're always going to get passion over important topics. And I welcome comments from our veteran service organizations about how to do things better. And I know that since we share the same goal of helping veterans, that we'll get to the right answer.
Wrong! This is not about passion. This is about keeping a promise this country made our veterans the day they put their lives on the line for this country. We just had Memorial Day when every politician was giving speeches about honoring those who paid the price for our freedom. No one mentioned the fact that they were about to stop paying that debt.
That honor died the day that the President of this nation decided that he no longer needed to pay full compensation to our disabled veterans.
If this does not bring dishonor and shame to the White House in your own mind, then consider this. They are disabled because they served. They had to fight for their claims to be honored and spent years in limbo with the assurance that once they proved their disability, they would receive medical care and compensation to live the rest of their lives without concern this country would default or decide the elderly were no longer worthy of that promise.
Disney CEO Bob Iger Receives Navy SEAL Foundation Honor, Recognizes Soldiers
Variety
Malina Saval
Associated Editor
June 2, 2017
The Los Angeles Evening of Tribute benefiting the Navy SEAL Foundation raised $4 million for the organization’s Naval Special Warfare community, which provides financial, emotional, and therapeutic support for wounded soldiers and families of fallen post-9/11 veterans.
Bob Iger, Walt Disney chair and CEO, was feted with the Navy SEAL Foundation’s patriot award at the Thursday night soiree, held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. “Pirates of the Caribbean” producer Jerry Bruckheimer, a former recipient of the award, was there to present Iger with the honor, as well as master of ceremonies Jimmy Kimmel.
Additional guests included producer Brian Grazer, Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos, actress Zoe Saldana, New England Patriots CEO Robert Kraft — who donated $100,000 at the event — U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, and keynote speaker Leon E. Panetta, former CIA director and U.S. secretary of defense. David Foster was also on hand to provide musical entertainment.
“We must never fail to recognize the sacrifices made by soldiers on our behalf,” said Iger, whose Work Here campaign has placed nearly 26,000 returning veterans in company-wide jobs. “My father served in the Navy in World War II. Back then war was an appreciated sacrifice. In Vietnam, the soldiers came back to a deeply divided nation. Every generation of veterans deserves a lifetime of gratitude.”
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Texas man pleads the gov. to return deported brother, a Vietnam veteran
KENS
Oscar Margain
June 03, 2017
DONNA, Texas – It’s a debate over service and citizenship as several members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus plan to visit deported veterans in Tijuana, Mexico on Saturday.
More military families on the Texas border want to tell their stories like that of one former U.S. soldier who’s spent the last 15 years banned from entering the country he once served.
“The focus of today’s meeting is to talk about our deported veterans,” U.S. Congressman Filemon Vela told a group of veterans gathered at an American Legion post in Donna, Texas.
A dozen or so war veterans attended the town hall to ask their congressman about the veteran benefits and citizenship.
“Veterans who serve our country honorably are being deported," exclaimed Legion Commander Felix Rodriguez. "That’s unacceptable!”
It was an emotional subject for the patriots in the room.
“Why is it that we don’t have a law that states that any veteran that serves and goes to war automatically becomes a citizen,” asked one Vietnam war veteran.
One man in this gathering isn’t a soldier, but came to fight for his half brother.
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Former soldier who lied his way to Purple Heart sentenced to three years in prison, ordered to repay $650,000 in stolen benefits
Associated Press
June 2, 2017
SEATTLE - A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a former soldier who lied his way to a Purple Heart to three years in prison and ordered him to repay nearly $650,000 in stolen government benefits.
Former National Guard soldier Darryl Lee Wright leaves a courtroom at the U.S. District Court in Tacoma, Wash., last year. (GENE JOHNSON/AP)
Darryl Wright, 48, a former Idaho National Guardsman, feigned injuries from an explosion in Iraq in 2005 and doctored statements from fellow soldiers to obtain two awards, a Combat Action Badge and a Purple Heart, which is reserved for those wounded in action.
The Army has since revoked the awards, though Wright still has the medals.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud last year. Prosecutors were seeking a prison term of five years, and they wanted the judge to order Wright to return the medals and a Purple Heart license plate.
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Florida restaurant helps soldier pull off surprise homecoming for dad
FOX News
June 2, 2017
"Not only did they reserve us a table, they closed all the blinds so Daddy couldn't see if we happen to walk by the wrong window, the manager recorded to homecoming on his personal phone for us," Adams wrote on Facebook.
A soldier received a memorable homecoming on Tuesday when he surprised his dad in Florida on his birthday with a little help from a restaurant, a family said.
Christopher Adams was coming home after being deployed in Germany to surprise his father on his birthday, Adams' wife Courtney wrote in a Facebook post. She called the Texas Roadhouse in Orange Park and asked if they could reserve a 12-person table for 6 p.m. for the celebration. The restaurant staff said would "love" to host the special moment for the family.
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