VFW PAC endorses Walz; Davis "can't identify" any way to improve vets' care or benefits

From the Walz campaign office:

Congressmen Tim Walz and Chet Edwards Announce Walz’s Endorsement by Veterans of Foreign Wars PAC and Local Veterans

Veterans for Walz Announce Their Support of Walz’s Reelection Bid

( Rochester , Minn. ) – Today, Congressmen Tim Walz and Chet Edwards (D-TX) announced that the Veterans of Foreign Wars Political Action Committee (VFW PAC) and a broad group of veterans from Rochester and across southern Minnesota are supporting Walz’s reelection bid.

Walz said the endorsement of the VFW PAC, the only political action committee among the nation’s major Veterans Service Organizations, was a show of support for his strong advocacy on behalf of veterans and their families. In its endorsement, VFW PAC said that its board of directors decided to back Walz because of his “strong support for veterans, national security and military personnel issues.”

“I am so proud to receive the endorsement of the VFW PAC,” Walz said. “The 2.2 million members of the VFW, its auxiliaries and their families are a strong voice for America ’s veterans and I am thrilled to have their support behind my reelection.”

“As a member of the VFW, I am proud to stand with Congressman Walz,” said Wayne Uptagrafft, Commander of the Korean War Veterans of Rochester. “He’s fought for veterans while he’s been in Congress and I’m going to work to make sure he’s able to return to Congress to continue his good work.”

Rep. Edwards, the powerful Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans’ Affairs, said that he came to Minnesota to help launch the formation of Veterans for Walz.

"Tim Walz, a 24-year veteran of the Army National Guard and retired Command Sergeant Major, is a tireless advocate for our veterans in Congress,” Edwards said. “We need to keep Tim Walz in Congress. He led the fight to increase funding for our veterans and improve GI Bill benefits. His opponent, on the other hand, says he can't even identify any areas where he would improve care and benefits for our veterans. Brian Davis is wrong for our veterans. We need to re-elect Tim Walz."

Walz and Edwards worked closely together over the last two years to increase funding for the VA.  Their efforts paid off when Congress provided the single greatest increase in funding for veterans’ programs in the VA’s 77-year history.

As for Walz's opponent? His words will have to suffice, since he doesn't have any history of working on veterans issues (a medical school rotation watching doctors work at a VA hospital doesn't count, bubs). From the release:

Davis Doesn’t Understand Veterans’ Issues; Can’t Identify Ways to Improve Care for Veterans. At a candidates forum last week, Dr. Davis was asked, “What action would you take to provide better educational methods and health care to our veterans?” Davis responded, “I can’t identify any specific areas where we would improve the educational or healthcare methods for veterans. I know there was a recent bill passed that is doing just that.” [Fairmont Chamber of Commerce Candidates Forum, 10/2/08]

Actually, it's not just community service for vets that's lacking. Davis has no community service track record, save for professional organizations that are useful for advancing his own career, and that brief stint in 2007 as the treasurer for the Olmsted County Republicans. And we know how that worked out. What is it about this guy and record keeping?

Photo: Early this year, veterans in Austin listened to Congressman Walz talking about proposed legislation.