SUBURBAN WEST PALM BEACH (CBS12) — A presidential picture at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center is M.I.A.
Local veterans turned to a Florida congressman to get the picture hung Tuesday, but as it turns out it didn’t stay up very long.
Some veterans feel they’ve fought for their country. They feel they shouldn’t have to fight the VA over something like this.
For veterans like Walter Korabiak, a Vietnam vet from South Florida, the matter seems simple.
President Donald Trump’s photo deserves to be in the lobby of the VA Medical Center.
“It should be there. Every other president was there wasn’t it? Something’s wrong,” Korabiak said.
Nearly two months into Trump’s presidency, some local vets are growing tired of looking at empty walls so they turned to fellow veteran and Congressman Brian Mast.
The Congressman brought in a picture of President Trump and the new VA Secretary and put them up this afternoon.
“There was nothing on the wall and it was disrespectful to a lot of veterans. Proud of the fact the local vet community got it done. Walked in there, we made it happen,” said Beau Brumfield, a veteran who helped get the photos displayed.
But their accomplishment didn’t last long. Within hours, management at the VA took down the pictures.
“Ridiculous! He’s our president. His picture deserves to go up and should go up,” said Ron Bailey, a veteran from Palm Beach Gardens CBS12 spoke with as he drove away from the VA.
I think whatever the veterans want posted they should be allowed to have posted. It’s their hospital,” said Lloyd Wolford, a veteran from Pennsylvania.
The reason? Management says they could not authenticate the photos and they have to follow protocol.
“You do what you’re supposed to do and do what you gotta do. If they’re a bunch of bums, get rid of them. You can put that on TV,” said Joseph Nappi, a veteran from Boynton Beach.
A VA spokeswoman says they’re trying to get official portraits that can be displayed on the wall.
Congressman Brian Mast released this statement Tuesday night:
Especially after so many veterans contacted me about this issue, it is disappointing to see resistance from the VA over hanging the portrait of both the Commander in Chief as well as the Secretary of the VA.
http://cbs12.com/news/local/controversy-over-president-trumps-photo-at-va
OMG, the bureaucratic red tape bs is disgusting.
Bigger fish to fry…..especially in the VA system…..like ppl dying waiting for treatment.