TOMS RIVER-It was a full house at the Clarion Hotel in Toms River as hundreds of proud veterans met with VFW Post 12173 to discuss important issues such as transitioning back into civilian life, healthcare and more.
The event was hosted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12173 and Congressman Tom MacArthur was on hand to speak directly to veterans in attendance.
Bob Hugin, a veteran Marine Corps officer who is running to unseat corrupted incumbent Democrat Bob Menendez also spoke to veterans.
“I’m proud to live in a state with so many fellow Americans who have served our country, but I’m not proud of the way our veterans have been treated. For far too long, our veterans have been underserved. They have been given what’s cheapest instead of what’s best in terms of health care and we have failed to provide them with adequate assistance when they have difficulty transitioning back into life as civilians,” said Hugin. “Tonight was about listening to our veterans and understanding the obstacles they face after service. Too often, our veterans travel by bus to Delaware or Philadelphia just to see a doctor. Too often, our veterans don’t have timely access to high-quality health care. Helping our veterans is personal to me, not just because I served in the Marines or because my two sons are currently serving, but because I believe anyone who made the sacrifice of service in this nation deserves better.”
“I look forward to working with Senator Bob Hugin in the next Congress to ensure we aren’t putting partisan politics over delivering for our veterans,” said Congressman Tom MacArthur. “I’m encouraged by the progress we’ve made so far, but there’s still more work to be done on behalf of our nation’s veterans.”
“It’s encouraging that Bob (Hugin) continues to hold our constituency in such high regard. Tonight’s town hall is a positive sign that he will lead and more importantly listen to New Jersey’s veterans,“ said Barb Kim-Hagemann. Kim-Hagemann will serve as the first female New Jersey State Commander for the VFW with her term beginning in 2019.
Veterans were given an opportunity to ask questions and took the opportunity to get clarification on Hugin’s stances. Additional town halls are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.