Local veterans groups to benefit from Trump donations

AMVETS is a national veterans’ organization founded 70 years ago after World War II.

“AMVETS, $75, 000,” said Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump as he announced a donation to the national headquarters today. Some of the money is almost certain to come to the AMVETS post in Tacoma, the nation’s second-largest AMVETS post.

We toured the Tacoma post with Charles Wharton, the Western Washington District Commander.

He told us that AMVETS is still growing, because it is the most inclusive veterans' organization.

“We don't care who you sleep with as long as it is not our spouse, of course -- we are human. We don't care which bathroom you use. We don't care which service you were in. We don't care whether or not you went to a combat zone. None of that matters. What matters is where your heart is,” he said.

AMVETS is both a social club and a place where veterans can get help with the maze of paperwork required to receive all of their benefits.

“What I hope (Mr. Trump) saw is a large, national organization dedicated to helping veterans readjust to civilian life,” Wharton said.

Donald Trump got multiple draft deferments. Months ago, he belittled the service of Sen. John McCain, who spent years in a Vietnamese prison camp.

But Wharton doesn’t hesitate to accept money that can be used to help today’s veterans. “Since AMVETS is an apolitical organization, I don’t think that anybody at the national level is concerned about who gave them the money. It's what we're going to do with it for that's important to us. We don't judge the organizations that give us donations."

There are other veterans’ organizations with local connections in Trump’s list. They include Disabled American Veterans and Fisher House.

Cox Media Group