Tammy Duckworth Eviscerates Contractor Who Claimed Veterans Disability

[proud2BlibKansan]

WASHINGTON -- On Wednesday, Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a veteran of the Iraq War, dramatically chastised a federal contractor who claimed that a high school sports injury had rendered him a service-disabled veteran.

Speaking during a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Duckworth vividly described to a committee witness, Braulio Castillo, how she lives in near constant pain after losing both of her legs during her service as a combat pilot.

Castillo cited his foot injury, suffered at a military prep school, as the basis for his IT company's application for special status as a "service-disabled veteran-owned small business." The application was granted, and his company, Strong Castle, was given preferential treatment in federal contract bids.

"Does your foot hurt?" Duckworth asked Castillo, who answered yes.

"My feet hurt too," said Duckworth. "In fact, the balls of my feet burn continuously, and I feel like there's a nail being hammered into my heel right now. So I can understand pain and suffering, and how service connection can actually cause long-term, unremitting, unyielding, unstoppable pain."

"I'm sorry that twisting your ankle in high school has now come back to hurt you in such a painful way, if also opportune for you to gain this status for your business," she added.

more . . . http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/26/tammy-duckworth-strong-castle_n_3504531.html

[truebluegreen]

1. I wonder what induced that guy to show up to testify!

Looking for more sympathy for his service-related injury?

[frazzled]

2. I was totally knocked out by her performance

Just wowed. She stuck it to this guy with such intelligence, poise, and ... in the end ... passion. What a strong, articulate performance!

I get emails from Tammy because, even though I don't live in her district, I gave a small amount of money to her campaign in the 2012 election cycle. I wasn't planning to give anything again, until maybe closer to the race in 2014, if it looked like she needed it. Now, I'm sending her a bit of cash right away ... a prize for such an amazing job.

I should say this intrigued me, because of a personal experience in my own family. My father, now 96, flew 60 missions for the Army Air Corps in the South Pacific during World War II, as a gunner ... more than he was required to. Sometime during that period, an army surgeon slit open his eardrum (I'm not sure why he was being worked on: an infection?). At any rate, my father never heard very well out of that ear after that, but when he was young and robust it wasn't such a difficulty. As he grew older, however, and lost more hearing in his "good" ear, life became very difficult for him in terms of his hearing. Finally, in his mid-80s, my mother, after years of cajoling him, convinced him that he was "entitled" to go to the VA to see what they could do. He'd never claimed disability at all. He reluctantly made an appointment, and they were surprised and thrilled that the VA said they would get him a pair of hearing aids, at no cost. I believe they also started sending him a very small disability payment, even though he hadn't asked for it. My father was embarrassed about that, and didn't think he was really due that after 50 years and a brave a distinguished service in combat. That's all he ever asked from the Army he served, and he was humbled at that when he got this small recompense.

It's truly irksome that this schmuck who never served a day in his life got the disability rating for a sprained ankle, and used it to profit from contracts.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Damn...what an idiot

The problem is that a lot of idiots do this. Dime on dollar this tough hombre who assaulted SanJuan Hill in his mind, hates real vets and others getting them fang benefits.

[eaglesclaw]

4. Senator MCCain has made himself a good living

Senator McCain, who is also 100% disabled admits climbing in and out of the Grand Canyon every year, and holding down a full time job in Congress, flying back and forth to Arizona & the ME with no problems. Perhaps we should consider him as the example others are to follow??

[HappyMe]

7. No, not really.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. No thanks.

Welcome to DU. Enjoy your stay.

[Brother Buzz]

5. Video link for those who have difficulty navigating through the Huffington Post site:

&feature=player_embedded
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017127952

[dodger501]

6. One of the better verbal cornholings I have seen in quite a while

I wish the cameras would have panned back to him near the end.