VA chief falsely claimed special forces service

VA chief falsely claimed special forces service

By Ben Kamisar

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/233580-va-chief-falsely-claimed-special-forces-service

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald falsely claimed that he served in a military special forces unit, he admitted to the Huffington Post.

When a homeless veteran told McDonald in a conversation captured by CBS that he had served in special forces, the head of the VA replied that he had, too. The conversation aired during a CBS News story chronicling how the agency is working to house homeless veterans. 

“I have no excuse,” McDonald told The Huffington Post. “I was not in special forces.” 

He added that he “reacted spontaneously” and “wrongly [with] no intent in any way to describe my record as any different than it is."

McDonald, who was confirmed in July of 2014, served in the 82nd Airborne Division and completed his Army Ranger training, earning the coveted Ranger tab. Although he completed that training, he never actually served in a special forces unit.

Special forces units are considered one of the most elite assignments in the military and include the Army Rangers, Green Berets and Navy SEALS.

"Secretary McDonald has apologized for the misstatement and noted that he never intended to misrepresent his military service," the White House said in a statement provided to The Huffington Post.

"We take him at his word and expect that this will not impact the important work he’s doing to promote the health and well-being of our nation’s veterans."

The flap comes just weeks after NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams admitted that he lied about flying in a helicopter shot by enemy forces while reporting in Iraq.

Veterans Affairs

Eric K. Shinseki was the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for the Barack Obama administration, a U.S. Army general, and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Note: Togo D. West Jr. was the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Army secretary, and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee, the Robin Hood Foundation, the Committee for Economic Development, and the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Henry A. Kissinger is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a member of the Bohemian Club, a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), a friend of Brent Scowcroft, was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Tom Brokaw is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, was a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, and an anchor for the NBC Nightly News.

Brian Williams is a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, and an anchor (suspended) form the NBC Nightly News.

Walter L. Cronkite was a member of the Bohemian Club, and the anchorman for the CBS News.

Betsy Morgan was a VP for the CBS News, and the CEO for the Huffington Post.

CBS News is a subsidiary of CBS.

Johnathan A. Rodgers was the president, CBS television stations for CBS, and is a director at the Procter & Gamble Company.

Robert A. McDonald was the chairman & president & CEO for the Procter & Gamble Company, a director at the Xerox Corporation, and is the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Mary Agnes Wilderotter is a director at the Procter & Gamble Company, a director at the Xerox Corporation, a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development, and a member of the Belizean Grove.

Belizean_Grove is the equivalent to the male-only social group, the Bohemian Club.

Henrietta Holsman Fore is a member of the Belizean Grove, and a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Ann E. Dunwoody is a member of the Belizean Grove, married to Craig Brotchie, was a U.S. Army 4-star general, and the commander for the U.S. Army Materiel Command.

Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody, U.S. Army Materiel Command commanding general

June 2, 2010

http://www.army.mil/article/40211/

82nd Airborne Division

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/82nd_Airborne_Division

The 82nd Airborne Division is an active duty airborne infantry division of the United States Army, specializing in parachute assault operations into denied areas. Based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the 82nd Airborne Division is part of the XVIII Airborne Corps.

Craig Brotchie is married to Ann E. Dunwoody, and was a colonel in the U.S. Air Force.

Michael P.C. Carns was a general in the U.S. Air Force, and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

John A. Gordon was a general in the U.S. Air Force, and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Richard L. Lawson was a general in the U.S. Air Force, and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Joseph W. Ralston was a general in the U.S. Air Force, a military analyst for the CBS News, and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Brent Scowcroft was a lieutenant general in the U.S. Air Force, is a friend of Henry A. Kissinger, and an interim chairman for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Charles F. Wald was a general in the U.S. Air Force, and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Eric K. Shinseki was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), a U.S. Army general, and the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for the Barack Obama administration.

Togo D. West Jr. is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), was the U.S. Army secretary, and the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Robert A. McDonald is the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, was the chairman & president & CEO for the Procter & Gamble Company, and a director at the Xerox Corporation.

Chuck Hagel was the chairman for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), a sergeant in the U.S. Army, the secretary for the U.S. Department of Defense, and is the Defense secretary for the Barack Obama administration.

U.S. Special Operations Command is a division of the U.S. Department of Defense.

Joint Special Operations Command is a division of the U.S. Special Operations Command, and the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Development Group is their special force.

U.S. Naval Special Warfare Development Group a special force, also known as DEVGRU, SEAL Team Six, the troops that raided bin Laden compound in the Hunt for Osama Bin Laden.

Hunt for Osama Bin Laden was a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operational commander of 2011 raid.

John A. Gordon was the deputy director for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a U.S. Air Force general, and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

James R. Schlesinger was a director for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the U.S. Department of Defense secretary, and an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George J. Tenet was a director for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

William H. Webster was a director for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and is an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

R. James Woolsey was a director for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the under secretary for the U.S. Navy, and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Eric K. Shinseki was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), a U.S. Army general, and the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for the Barack Obama administration.

Togo D. West Jr. is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), was the U.S. Army secretary, and the secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.