VA Secretary Robert McDonald admits lying about Special Forces service

Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald has admitted that he lied about serving in the special operations forces in a conversation with a homeless veteran that was caught on camera earlier this year.

McDonald made the claim in January while he was in Los Angeles as part of the VA's effort to locate and house homeless veterans. During the tour, a homeless man told McDonald that he had served in the special operations forces.

"Special forces? What years?" McDonald responded. "I was in special forces." The exchange was broadcast on "The CBS Evening News" Jan. 30. McDonald's misstatement was first reported by The Huffington Post.

VA Secretary Robert McDonald admits lying about Special Forces service

but the white house says that's ok we take him at his word. ????

The White House released a statement Monday evening saying that it had accepted McDonald's explanation.

"Secretary McDonald has apologized for the misstatement and noted that he never intended to misrepresent his military service," the statement said. "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."

so someone that has lied about his service can be trusted, dealing with the health of our veterans. i don't think so.

a reply to: hounddoghowlie

I saw that earlier today. The guy's a West Point grad if I'm not mistaken ... you know ... the ones who don't LIE, cheat or steal.

The remarks he made to that congressman were pretty shameful too: "What have you done" ... to the guy that served something like 21 years in uniform. The only member of congress who pulled tours in both Iraq campaigns.

I don't know. Maybe being the bigwig for Proctor and Gamble (sounds like Monsanto to me) softened his head a bit.

a reply to: Snarl

yes,the report i saw before finding it online said he was a West Point graduate. he severed in 82nd air borne and was a jumpmaster. also it was said that he completed Army Ranger training, but never went any further.

the way i see it if he would lie about being in the Special Forces, he would lie about what is going on in VA.

a reply to: hounddoghowlie

"Secretary McDonald has apologized for the misstatement and noted that he never intended to misrepresent his military service," the statement said.

Just what the hell did he intend to do then???
He blatantly lied ... but he 'didn't intend to misrepresent' ???
What the hell kind of people are being appointed (and supported when they lie) by this Administration?

a reply to: butcherguy

He didn't lie. Or misrepresent.

He misremembered

a reply to: butcherguy

that reflects leadership. if it's alright for the boss, it must be alright for the employees.

a reply to: Shamrock6

maybe he was thinking about the Marnie Corps cadence, and got confused.

i want to be a recon ranger
i want to live the life of danger

wait doesn't the Army Ranger school have a cadence similar to that, copycats.

a reply to: hounddoghowlie

While the Secretary did get a Ranger tab he was never in Battalion. I work in the VA and I can say wholeheartedly that the problem is the management culture, and this only shows how high up the chain it goes. Of course people sometimes inflate their careers or embellish war stories, but in my opinion, anyone who claims to be SF without even having been in a Ranger battalion would probably get their butt kicked by actual operators. My friends in the Army know what I'm talking about - you just don't really confuse having a tab (but not being part of a battalion) to surviving the Q Course...

My colleagues are dedicated (many of us veterans ourselves) but there is high burn out and high turnover because management is either corrupt, incompetent, or both. We've got a lot of icey roads here in Texas today, and there were a lot of local employees who stayed overnight at work so they could continue to provide care today in the event the weather deteriorates.

originally posted by: Shamrock6
a reply to: butcherguy

He didn't lie. Or misrepresent.

He misremembered

Have you ever been in the special forces? yes/no?
Have you ever been in a helecopter crash? yes/no?

These seem to be straight forward questions that can be answered yes or no wich would negate any mistatements.
Yet some folks can not just say no.

When I see how much lying is tolerated by the government now I feel bad for poor old Nixon.

A lie by any other name is still a lie,and a liar by any other name is still a liar.

It only takes one lie to lose trust and respect,Once you lose the trust and respect of the people it makes it very difficult to govern them.

I wonder if the good folks down at the IRS would accept the excuse that I mis-remembered how much I made last year?
or that I mis-stated how much I made? no, probably not because I`m not one of the elites down there in Washington living in an ivory tower.

originally posted by: Snarl
a reply to: hounddoghowlie

I saw that earlier today. The guy's a West Point grad if I'm not mistaken ... you know ... the ones who don't LIE, cheat or steal.

The remarks he made to that congressman were pretty shameful too: "What have you done" ... to the guy that served something like 21 years in uniform. The only member of congress who pulled tours in both Iraq campaigns.

I don't know. Maybe being the bigwig for Proctor and Gamble (sounds like Monsanto to me) softened his head a bit.

I thought he was responsible for this absurd "I Care" campaign but, it looks like it goes back to 2013.

If he will lie about his military career, I believe he will lie about anything.