On Tuesday, Aug. 9, VA Sec. Bob McDonald gave the opening address at the 84th national convention of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. This year’s convention is being held in Norfolk, Virginia, home to the world’s largest naval station.
In speaking to the convention, McDonald highlighted how VA is building “powerful, productive partnerships working for Veterans.”
VA Secretary Bob McDonald speaks to OEF/OIF/OND-era purple heart recipients. McDonald was in Norfolk, VA to serve as the keynote speaker for the Military Order of the Purple Heart’s national convention.
“It’s important you know that since early last year our new MyVA Advisory Committee has been helping guide transformation,” McDonald said. “Committee members have brought extensive experience in medicine, government, Veteran advocacy, customer service, and organizational change.”
McDonald also underscored a number of world-class institutions and respected organizations who are working with VA. These include Johnson & Johnson, USAA, Starbucks, NASA, Kaiser Permanente, Hospital Corporation of America, Virginia Mason, the YMCA, the Elks, the PenFed Foundation, LinkedIn, Coursera, Google, Walgreens, academic institutions and many more.
“Over the last two years, we’ve helped build a new national network of 68 Community Veterans Engagement Boards—CVEBs,” McDonald told conference attendees. “CVEBs are local partnerships meeting Veterans needs with both community and VA assets. Our goal is 100 CVEBs across the country by year’s end. If your community doesn’t have one, let’s get on it.”
The Military Order of the Purple Heart was created by congressional charter in 1958. Its membership is open to men and women who were wounded in combat and received the Purple Heart Medal.
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Mr McDonald,
We vets are worried. First and foremost you are corporate America, and it is assumed that you are earnestly working at privatizing the VA. Prior to assuming command of the VA, you were the CEO of proctor & Gamble and chair dozens of corporations. The VA is all that we vets have left. Take that away and give it to the mighty insurance companies and we are doomed.
Good day sir John Barnes I spoke with you in Detroit at the Golden age game and I’m emailing you in reference to VA benefits you said that you could help me