Pfc. Fernando Garcia is the only Puerto Rican Marine to have received the award. By Jon Guttman
8 weeks ago House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., said the service is not sized to meet increasing threats from China and Russia. The Complete the Mission Act serves as a focal point of debate over the size of VA and availability of community care for veteran patients. Advocates say the surprise increase in lawmakers with military backgrounds is a positve sign for the veteran community. Bipartisan legislation passed by the House would improve at-home care options for ailing vets and mandate protections for community care programs. Congress approved $3 billion in emergency VA funding in September, but officials now say they did not need the money to cover immediate bills. The bad welds are not on components that would impact ship safety or operations, but the Navy said it is reviewing at least 23 potentially impacted ships. In one case, a veteran with esophageal cancer had radiation therapy incorrectly denied for several months before dying from the illness. Of the 75 congressional candidates this cycle with a combat zone deployment, 62 of them served in Iraq, Afghanistan or both. VA officials had warned that without the money, some disability benefits payouts could have been disrupted in the next few weeks. Load More