Vance Town Hall Focuses on Veterans With Less Than a Week to Election

JD Vance speaks in Tucson, Ariz., on Oct. 9, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

ALTOONA, Pa.—With just six days until the election, Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) held a town hall on Oct. 30 with supporters at Bedford Regional Airport in Bedford, Pennsylvania, where he talked exclusively about issues pertaining to U.S. military veterans.

Vance, who served in the Marines in the Iraq War, appeared on stage with former Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who recently switched her partisan affiliation from Democrat to Republican after endorsing former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee. Gabbard is an army reserve officer.

Below are three takeaways from the event at the airport’s hanger, which the crowd extended outside of.

Accountability for the Afghan 13

The first question, from a military veteran, was about the lack of accountability for the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan after a war of almost 20 years, specifically the Aug. 26, 2021, bombing at Abbey Gate outside of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul that took the lives of 13 U.S. service members. No top Biden administration members have resigned or been fired in the aftermath.

Vance pledged that if elected, the Trump administration would ensure those in charge of the withdrawal are held accountable.

He said the first person who would be fired would be Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee. Then it would be determined who made certain calls such as shutting down Bagram Air Base.

“We basically turned brave Americans into TSA agents,” he said, referring to the U.S. service members facilitating the evacuations at the Kabul airport.

The 13 service members who lost their lives were Marine Sgt. Johanny Pichardo, Navy Hospitalman Maxton Soviak, Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee, Marine Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, Marine Cpl. Humberto Sanchez, Marine Cpl. Daegan William-Tyler Page, Marine Lance Cpl. David Espinoza, Marine Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez, Marine Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover, and Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz.

Better Advertising of Veteran Services

Another question Vance was asked was about making services available to veterans that they may be unaware of.

Vance recalled enrolling in the student health program at Ohio State University, his alma mater, shortly after his military service. He said he paid “hundreds of dollars on health insurance premiums” only to find out there was a health care program through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that he could get for five years following his service. He enrolled in the program in time, he said, and saved thousands of dollars in costs.

Vance said that the VA should partner with the Department of Defense to inform veterans what services they are eligible for once they conclude their service.

Vance also said that military members should be getting top-notch service while they are serving, such as access to nutritious meals.

Tackling Veteran Homelessness, Blocking Illegal Immigrants From VA Housing

There was a question about homeless veterans displaced from VA housing by illegal immigrants.

Vance said that a second Trump administration would not place illegal immigrants in housing meant for veterans.

Between 2023 and 2024, there was a 7.4 percent increase in homeless veterans, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Vance said it is “a scandal” that veterans make a sacrifice to serve their country only for the government to not keep its end of the bargain.

Vance said that the housing crisis for veterans is also in part due to housing being “totally unaffordable over the last four years.” Solving this, he said, requires building houses in America to house U.S. citizens, cutting “ridiculous regulations,” and lowering mortgage interest rates.