U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald is under fire for falsely claiming to have served in the special forces during his time in the military, dividing the two Florida congressional representatives leading the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee.
McDonald was caught by CBS News telling a homeless veteran that he served in the special forces during his time in the Army.While he graduated from West Point and completed Ranger training, McDonald never served in the special forces, something he acknowledged to the Huffington Post on Monday. McDonald apologized for his misleading remarks about his military service.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., the chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, did not call for McDonalds resignation but did say he was disappointed with him. Miller also pressed for more transparency and accountability in the department which is under scrutiny in the aftermath of last years news that VA medical facilities were using altered waiting lists. In Phoenix alone, more than 30 veterans who were on altered waiting lists died while awaiting medical treatment. Then-VA Sec. Eric Shinseki was forced to resign his post as a result of the news.
Im disappointed in Sec. McDonalds comments, Miller said on Tuesday. After a rough couple of weeks that also included inflated claims of accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs, I hope Sec. McDonald will redouble his efforts to ensure his statements and those of all VA officials are completely accurate. This is the only way the department can regain the trust of the veterans and taxpayers it is charged with serving.
But U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Fla., said it was time to move on from the matter and praised McDonalds actual record in the military.
The secretary gave an appropriate apology following his misstatement, which demonstrates his commitment to accountability, Brown insisted. I am confident that his statement was not intended to mislead and that it will not inhibit the secretarys focus on turning the Department of Veterans Affairs into a first-class agency that is dedicated to serving our veterans.
Clearly, Sec. McDonalds military service and dedication to our nation should not be ignored, Brown continued. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in the top 2 percent of his class of 1975, he honorably served in the military for five years, and completed training as an Army Ranger, as well as Jungle, Arctic, and Desert Warfare training. VA Sec. McDonald was also a senior parachutist and airborne-jump master, and was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, N.C., until 1980.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
