Search Results

8/3/2017 - Drawing has been a part of Mike Rodriguez’s life since childhood, but a wound that ended his military career also put his illustrator tendencies on hold. Rodriguez, who served in Iraq from June to November 2004, with Bravo Co., 1st Bn., 8th Marines, as a rifleman, was wounded on Thanksgiving Day 2004 in Fallujah, Iraq. He was shot, losing nerve feeling and fine-motor skills on his right side. His shoulder was dislocated, he said, and he nearly lost his right leg to compa...

2/27/2013 - The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., the nation’s largest organization of combat veterans, is applauding yesterday’s announcement from House Veterans Affairs Committee leadership to fully fund the Department of Veterans Affairs one year in advance. House VA Committee Chairman Jeff Miller, R-Fla., and Ranking Member Mike Michaud, D-Maine, introduced the “Putting Veterans Funding First Act of 2013,” or H.R. 813, which would require Congress to fully fund VA’...

2/28/2013 - WASHINGTON — The national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. left the Oval Office this morning knowing that President Obama shares his same concerns for properly caring for military veterans, service members and their families. "It was a very positive meeting and we're grateful for the opportunity," said John E. Hamilton, a combat wounded Vietnam Marine Corps rifleman from St. Augustine, Fla., who is in Washington for the VFW's annual legislative confe...

2/14/2013 - America’s largest combat veterans’ organization is in total disagreement with the Pentagon’s decision to have its new Distinguished Warfare Medal outrank the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. “It is very important to properly recognize all who faithfully serve and excel, but this new medal — no matter how well intended — could quickly deteriorate into a morale issue,” said John E. Hamilton, national commander of the 2 million-member Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. and...

3/22/2013 - Mr. Leslie MoonvesPresident & CEO, CBS Corporation51 West 52nd StreetNew York, NY 10019 Dear Mr. Moonves: Anger pointed directly at CBS is the reaction of the 2 million-member Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and our Auxiliaries. You may not have known what the “Amazing Race” producers had planned for Sunday night’s show, but you certainly do now. I urge far greater executive oversight over what’s aired under the CBS logo. It’s been 40 years since...

3/1/2013 - WASHINGTON — More than 600 members of the nation’s oldest and largest major combat veterans’ organization are arriving in Washington this weekend to urge their members of Congress to protect the Department of Veterans Affairs budget from sequestration, as well as Defense Department quality of life programs for the troops and their families. Armed with the VFW Legislative Priority Goals for 2013, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. will visit every congressional o...

3/7/2013 - WASHINGTON — The national commander of America’s oldest and largest major combat veterans organization is applauding yesterday’s introduction of S. 470 to lower the Pentagon’s new Distinguished Warfare Medal to below the Bronze Star and Purple Heart in the military order of precedence. The Senate bill is a companion to H.R. 833 that was introduced in late February to correct what immediately became an extremely unpopular decision by former Secretary of Defense Leon Panet...

3/15/2013 - WASHINGTON — The national commander of the nation's largest war veterans organization is outraged that a TIME magazine columnist has called for the resignation of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. “Freedom of the press isn’t a license for Joe Klein to twist reality about someone who has volunteered virtually his entire life to serve his country,” said John E. Hamilton, who leads the 2 million-member Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. and its Auxiliari...

3/5/2013 - WASHINGTON­ — During today’s testimony before a joint hearing of the Senate and House Veterans Affairs Committees, the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. (VFW) pledged the organization will not let America’s veterans be forgotten by Congress or the Administration. Today’s testimony comes just days after the announcement of mandatory Department of Defense budget cuts brought on by sequestration. “The VFW is deeply concerned about the impact...

5/23/2013 - The national commander of America’s largest and oldest major combat veterans organization is applauding Congress this week for passing the Stolen Valor Act of 2013, which now heads to the White House for the president’s signature. John E. Hamilton, a triple Purple Heart recipient who leads the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, said Congress followed the roadmap laid out by the U.S. Supreme Court when they overturned the Stolen Valor Act of 2005 last...