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Concerned Veterans for America CEO Pete Hegseth on the challenges facing veterans after their military service ends.
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-- but first our top story tonight one of our nation's heroes and -- ended.
New details emerging on the navy seal who shot and killed Osama bin Laden.
Esquire Magazine and the center for investigative reporting.
Have released a 27 page article today with fresh details on the -- And what exactly happened to bin Laden shooter after retiring last September.
Here is the troubling headline of that article the man who kill bin Laden is screwed.
Why well look former navy says -- due to this day remains anonymous says the military stiffed him.
He says he's out on his own with no pension no healthcare and no protection for a spam -- Joining me now.
CEO of concern veterans of America great to have you back on the show always appreciate your help.
A little read -- something from the Esquire Magazine article I know you have your questions about the reporting.
But here's what they say about the man they describe as the shooter.
What is much harder to understand they write is that a man with hundreds of successful war missions when the most decorated combat veterans of our age.
Who capped his career by terminating bin Laden.
Has no landing pad in civilian life nothing no pension no healthcare no protection for himself.
Or his family and of course the story this long story interviews him link three talks about how he has no health care.
No pension he he was in service for sixteen years admittedly he left early but now enough bank.
What do you make of that.
-- idea I read the whole story it is gripping and it is a powerful depiction of the difficulty of transition.
It is civilian life and here's the guy who literally put two bullets into the head of Osama bin Laden in about a bad.
And now he's transitioning to civilian life -- looking at the be the complete difficult especially amongst the -- -- there's these neighbors who have that the whose lives have been totally classified.
As secret missions they can't talk about and all his life would be threatened if his name is known that this is another set of circumstances that of that wouldn't happen if power.
We did did raise the guy that the president himself described as the best of the best.
Everybody -- administration had nothing but accolades for this group of guys here's the guy.
To -- -- to take down our number one enemy number one enemy.
And and we can't take care of him -- spend tens of millions of dollars -- zero dark thirty.
On the books to the been out about this raid that this guy this guy we can't help him.
-- you know it's it's it's so he is exemplary of in many ways the bloated.
Bureaucracy that some of our that a lot of our guy's face when they leave and try to go to the VA -- get involved in government programs that are supposed to provide them -- -- transition these are big your government institutions meant to take soldiers coming off the battlefield in transition and and instead.
If they they wait in long lines they don't get the care they need they don't have had a mental health professionals.
Up all the problems you face when a bureaucracy -- itself as opposed to being a 21 century consumer focused.
Institution which -- which has just.
-- -- -- Absolutely here's what the president -- Obama had to say.
Here's his promise to veterans know would you fight overseas to this country should ever have to thought fight for a job.
Not just a job this -- talking about his -- -- basics health care in the entire career and service wouldn't CM to show for it nothing.
How would you rate the job that we are doing in this country for veterans right now.
Not not good enough not good enough because we've got over 900000 waiting in line for their claims right now -- VA.
In not good enough because -- guy like this doesn't know where to turn and the reality is the VA does provide five years of combat.
Of healthcare for a guy like this there are ways for a transition assistance but a lot of people fall through the cracks because the system is full of holes.
And we pump more money -- a problem without fundamentally reforming the weight of BA does business.
Putting bring it it dragging it into the digital age you -- pens or paper bureaucracy in many places that hasn't digitize records.
They don't -- transition smoothly from the Department of Defense.
So you gotta you gotta literally look at the Department of Veterans Affairs where I say we're gonna we're gonna change the way we do business because we should be customer focus to a guy like this.
Who served his nation for sixteen years -- -- didn't wait to twenty could've -- -- -- -- get the full benefit but that doesn't change what we owe him in -- health needs are met.
-- -- -- you know and it's his wife says she's thinking about changing your name.
Because there's a huge danger for these guys right.
You know actually find -- -- are.
They've got a -- sag in the house so that they can run out at anytime.
You -- living in fear and with no help and I I think it's.
It's just embarrassing and it and it's a it's a shame and and we should do better than.
It's not the way it's not the way it should be we did it -- They're concerned that's America although we can do better -- -- because we can for veterans and we must in this is a powerful example of it.
Absolute pleasure having you on the show tonight thanks for coming out what you follow this if you hear anything about it let us know Pete.
You got it thank you.
