Paralyzed Veterans of America issued the following today:
January 2015, while touring a rundown Los Angeles neighborhood during a nationwide count of homeless veterans,
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Bob McDonald wrongly
claimed that he served in special operations forces, the most elite
units in the armed forces, when his military service of five years was
spent almost entirely with the 82nd Airborne Division during the late
1970s. He was accompanied by a CBS-TV news crew, which recorded an
exchange between McDonald and a homeless man who told McDonald he had
served in special forces.
“We're losing sight of the most important aspect of this story—the VA
Secretary was directly engaging one of many homeless veterans in the
west Los Angeles area, where this problem is most prevalent,” said Homer
S. Townsend Jr., executive director of Paralyzed Veterans of America.
Los Angeles has the largest population of homeless military veterans
in the nation, estimated to be around 4,000. On January 28, 2015, the VA
announced its written plan to help end veterans homelessness in Greater
Los Angeles.
“Instead of spontaneously responding that he was special forces, he
should have clarified his actual military experience and chosen his
words more carefully. At least now, though, the country is paying
attention to the issue of veterans homelessness—a problem that has been
largely ignored by the mainstream until now.”
“Secretary McDonald has apologized for exaggerating what is his
otherwise honorable service,” Townsend said, “and we maintain our
support for him as he continues the effort to reduce veterans
homelessness, strengthen the VA healthcare system and ensure the timely
receipt of veterans benefits.”
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