Each year the VFW is asked to present this testimony and is only one of a few Veterans Service Organizations that actually gets its own day; many of the others have to sit together and get lost in the crowd. Why are we so special? We are the largest combat veterans organization in the country and we work tirelessly with Congress and the President, regardless of politics, to do what is right for our veterans, military members, and their families. We are a constituency that won't back down and they know it.
Chief Schmitz addressed topics ranging from women veterans healthcare to toxic exposure to telehealth initiatives. The hearing was full with standing room only along the walls and back, and there was also an overflow room where VFW members watched on closed circuit television. We certainly stormed the hill and it was a great sight to see so many VFW official caps in the audience. There was no way anyone was going to miss the fact that a large contingent of combat veterans was going to speak its mind in the Halls of Congress!
[L-R: Senior Vice CIC Hal Roesch, CIC Doc Schmitz, Junior Vice CIC Fritz....and Mama Cass of course!]
