FULL RESPECT AND HONOR!
By Johnny Punish, Veterans News Report
Tijuana, Mexico – At a time when some pathetic ugly shameful dishonorable political leaders including the 5 time deferment coward Donald Trump demonize deported undocumented U.S. Soldiers who have served putting their lives on the line for the USA, there are true leaders who actually have served in combat who understand the true sacrifice endured and indignity suffered by these band of brothers under the most racist demagoguing disgraceful dishonorable administration in our history.
One such amazing true principled leader is Wounded War Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee; a true blue American hero!
On Veterans Day, yesterday, she visited Tijuana, Mexico, to honor the service of Veterans who have been deported and offer supportive services to them in their efforts to access the VA healthcare benefits they’ve earned and other casework issues.
Duckworth also met with Consul General Sue Saarnio while in Tijuana to discuss what the State Department can do to help support these Veterans and visited Parque de la Amistad on the border between the United States and Mexico, where family members on either side can reach through a wall to greet each other.
“I am ashamed of and heartbroken by how our nation is treating the deported Veterans I met with today. They are Americans all but on paper, many of whom enlisted after then-President George W. Bush signed an executive order fast-tracking citizenship for those willing to serve—but who, because of things like lost paperwork, fell through the cracks, never officially became citizens,” said Duckworth.
“I refuse to let them believe that everyone in government has forsaken them, and I want them to know that I haven’t—which is why I spent this Veterans Day at that makeshift refuge in Mexico, recognizing the sacrifices they made for the country they love.”
Earlier this year, Senator Duckworth re-introduced three bills to protect and support Veterans and servicemembers. Her proposals—the Veterans Visa and Protection Act, HOPE Act and I-VETS Act—would prohibit the deportation of Veterans who are not violent offenders, give legal permanent residents a path to citizenship through military service and strengthen VA healthcare services for Veterans.
Last week, she introduced legislation to protect military families from deportation. Duckworth is a leader on issues impacting Veterans healthcare and she recently introduced a package of bills to improve VA services.
Read the many articles about this fabulous American Hero. Here is a brief quote from her Wikipedia article:
“Duckworth was the first Thai-American woman elected to Congress, the first born in Thailand elected to Congress, the first woman with a disability to be elected to Congress, the first female double amputee in the Senate, and the first Senator to give birth while in office. Duckworth is the second Asian American woman serving in the U.S. Senate, after Mazie Hirono, and before Kamala Harris.
A combat veteran of the Iraq War, Duckworth served as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot and suffered severe combat wounds, which caused her to lose both of her legs and some mobility in her right arm. She was the first female double amputee from the war.[3] Despite her grievous injuries, she sought and obtained a medical waiver which allowed her to continue serving as a lieutenant colonel in the Illinois Army National Guard along with her husband, Major Bryan W. Bowlsbey, a signal officer and fellow Iraq War veteran. Both have since retired from the armed forces.[4]”
This is the candidate either party should put up for President. I agree with everything Johnny Punish said in this good article.
I have to agree with you. Knowing the horror and injustice of war(wholly based on lies), and being a member of a political body which promotes it wholesale, I’d have way more respect for her if she loudly insisted on ending these criminal wars of aggression.