Obama’s veterans plans to get focus in Staunton

By Bob Stuart

Published: September 29, 2008

Texas Rep. Chet Edwards will visit Staunton this afternoon as part of a state tour to discuss challenges facing Virginia veterans, and to reveal Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s plans for treatment of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Edwards, who represents President Bush’s district in Texas, will appear at 5:30 p.m. at Miller Chapel at Mary Baldwin College.

Edwards, who is chairman of the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, is “very knowledgeable about vets issues,” said Clark Stevens, an Obama Virginia campaign spokesman.

Stevens said Obama’s plans for Afghanistan and Iraq veterans include improved medical care and access, fighting for pay equity and extending educational opportunities to troops and their families.

Stevens said Obama supported Virginia Sen. Jim Webb’s GI bill legislation, and also wants to make sure vets suffering from post traumatic stress disorder get proper care. Edwards introduced the House version of the Webb GI Bill legislation.

“Sen. McCain did not support it,” Stevens said of Republican presidential nominee John McCain.

Stevens said vets across Virginia are looking at which candidate will offer the best solutions to veterans care. He said Obama “has made caring for our veterans a top priority.”

Gail Gitcho, a Virginia McCain spokeswoman, said McCain did not support Webb’s GI Bill in its original form. She said he held out until the bill included a transferability provision that would allow a service member to transfer all or a portion of their benefit to a spouse or a child after serving for more than one enlistment.

While McCain was not present for the final Senate vote on the Webb GI legislation, Gitcho said he would have returned to Washington to vote for it if necessary.

Gitcho said McCain has also worked “tirelessly for our veterans.”

She said McCain has introduced measures that increased military pay, set up overseas savings accounts and provided survivor benefits. And, Gitcho said, McCain was last week endorsed by 300 retired generals and admirals from across the country.

Gitcho said Obama voted in May 2007 to cut off critical funding for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Had Barack Obama had his way, our troops would not have had billions in vital equipment and our veterans would not have had billions in critical services,” Gitcho said.