Local post welcomes V.F.W. Chief to Morgantown

Fri, 12/26/2014 - 3:19pm — Diane Dyer

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5837 and the Ladies Auxiliary hosted a luncheon for the V.F.W. Commander –in-Chief, John W. Stroud.

“It is great to be back in Kentucky. Being the Commander-in-Chief is the greatest job in the world. That’s because I get to work for the greatest people in the world, folks like you,” said Stroud in his opening comments.

As part of his duties, Stroud visits V.F.W. Posts throughout the United States. While serving for the past two and one half years Stroud has had the privilege of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown, the Vietnam Wall, as well as Pearl Harbor.

He also visits other countries to meet with organizations equivalent to the VFW in hopes of gaining information concerning M.I.A’s.

“As you all know, full accountability of our P.O.W and M.I.A’s is one of the VFW priorities,” said Stroud.

According to Stroud this year’s trip to Russia was concealed due to concerns from the State Department.

Stroud also spoke about V.A. Health Care. He has sit down with V.A. Secretary Robert McDonald. “I told the Secretary he has the V.F.W.’s full support. Because his success means that good things are happening for our veterans, because his success means the backlog gets reduced, and his success means our young veterans can take full advantage of their G.I. bill benefits and can get their higher education.”

“V.A. health care needs to be fixed and our veterans need better benefits,” added Stroud.

According to Stroud if a wounded soldier gets medical attention in the first five minutes of an injury they have a 97 percent rate of survival. More soldiers are surviving, but more are coming home on stretchers.

“They need care and the V.F.W. is going to make sure they dam well get it,” said Stroud.

Stroud also spoke about the need for a balanced budget.

“The days of the V.F.W. playing patty cake in Washington is over. When I testify to Congress in March, I am going to tell them: do your job, pass a budget, end sequestration, or next election we’re going to show you the way to the unemployment line,” said Stroud.

He again thanked everybody for their hospitality.