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Carter needs to hire experienced veteran
Letter to the Editor generic

Dear editor:


Buddy Carter is advertising again for someone to ‘supposedly’ handle/coordinate veterans issues in the 1st District.

For as long as Buddy has been in office many veterans have repeatedly requested he employ an individual to work strictly veteran issues.  Having the most veterans (and let’s not forget family members of veterans who also suffer along with their veteran) in all of the Georgia Congressional Districts, one would think Buddy would want to do well by his veteran constituents and their families.

After Jack Kingston (who started off slow but became a champion of veterans’ issues) left, 1st District veterans were sometimes receiving incorrect information and on many occasions were receiving NO assistance at all, even after repeated attempts from Carter staff.  It got so bad that a long time member of Buddy’s staff began referring Veterans with issues to me and others for assistance.

Again repeated calls for Buddy to hire someone always fell on deaf ears.

Then comes the Wounded Warrior Fellowship program which is an initiative of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the House of Representatives.  As a fellowship those who meet employment prerequisites are employed by the CAO and positioned according to requests from members.  Much like Jack Kingston who for years had a military fellow, they were (temporary duty) to Jack’s office but still employed by the Department of Defense. (Kingston had a representative veteran from every branch of service to assist.)

Although the CAO initiative is noteworthy, the prerequisites are very limited and the veteran very well may end up being a coffee gopher.  (Carter did have a veteran specialist in his office for about a month, before the veteran accepted employment with another federal agency.)

The Georgia Congressman with the largest veteran population and family members (who are also impacted by their veterans’ disabilities) 140,000+/- strong with no one employed that is knowledgeable to meet those veterans’ needs/concerns.

Next time I see Buddy I’m going to ask him again (about the umpteenth time), “Buddy when are you going to hire someone to address 1st District veterans’ problems”?  “You’ve been provided information on qualified/already experienced folks who are retired after 20 -30 years with Georgia Department of Veterans Services who want to continue to serve even part-time. Why not hire them?”

Buddy it’s long past time for you to stop paying lip-service to your support of veterans (are you still doing the 22 pushups/day to bring awareness to daily veteran suicides?) and put your money where your mouth is.

I hope you (news media) all will ask him the same question?


Bruce A. McCartney, SFC, USA (ret-ch61)

RVN 7/68 – 7/72

DUSTOFF Medic

Combat Medic

Trade Hill Community


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