VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS

The Monument Terrace troop rally in Lynchburg has been honoring our veterans for more than two decades, and is still going strong.

Veteran groups like the American Legion offer camaraderie and political advocacy. But as membership levels steadily decline, they must appeal to younger vets.

Local bars and halls run by VFW and American Legion posts have fallen on hard times during the coronavirus pandemic. In many states, veterans posts were ordered to close like other bars and event halls last spring. In Lakeview, Michigan, VFW Post 3701 made hundreds of masks for workers and operated blood drives with the Red Cross. Closing VFW Post 3260 in the historic fishing port city some 60 miles (97 kilometers) south of Boston has been bittersweet for longtime members. “It’s been a second home at times.”AdBut like VFW posts nationwide, the New Bedford hall struggled to draw new members.

“It is unfair to expect accountability from the nearly 400,000 VA employees and not demand the same from its top executive. Wilkie and other senior officials had declined to fully cooperate with the investigation by VA Inspector General Michael Missal. Wilkie is Trump’s second VA secretary after David Shulkin was fired in 2018. President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to rebuild trust in the VA when he takes office on Jan. 20. He has selected Denis McDonough, who served as President Barack Obama’s White House chief of staff, to be VA secretary.

“The accountability, professionalism and respect that our veterans have earned, and quite frankly deserve, is completely lost in this current VA leadership team,” said B.J. Wilkie and other senior officials had declined to fully cooperate with the investigation by VA Inspector General Michael Missal. Wilkie is President Donald Trump’s second VA secretary after David Shulkin was fired in 2018. “VA can and must do better,” said Randy Reese, executive director of Disabled American Veterans’ Washington headquarters. He has selected Denis McDonough, who served as President Barack Obama’s White House chief of staff, to be VA secretary.

ROANOKE, Va. - Members of Roanoke's Veterans of Foreign Wars post took a motorcycle ride for a good reason on Independence Day. VFW Post 1264 organized a "poker run" in support of two charities: the Wounded Warrior Project and Salem's Hope Tree Family Services. The riders left from the VFW post and made stops at several organizations around town, including Disabled American Veterans and American Veterans (AMVETS) Post 40. David Collier says the riders wanted to show their American pride by giving back to the community. The VFW post also hosted a raffle to raise additional money for the two charities.

Donald Trump took his message to a meeting of Veterans of Foreign Wars in Charlotte, North Carolina. The GOP arrived to enthusiastic veterans and applause to challenge the Democratic stategy. Major Garrett has more.