Washington, D.C. – Today, the House passed the Dustoff Crews of the Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act to award a Congressional Gold Medal, one of our nation’s highest honors, to members of the Dustoff crews of the Vietnam War. This bipartisan legislation was led in the House by Rep. Derek Kilmer and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and passed in the Senate earlier this year after being led by Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Elizabeth Warren. With Honor Action celebrates the passage of this legislation in both chambers with the support of Members from the For Country Caucus. 

“Awarding the brave men and women who heroically served in the Dustoff crews during the Vietnam War with a Congressional Gold Medal is long overdue, and the least we can do to honor their service and sacrifice to our nation. I am thrilled to see that Congress took the necessary steps to make this recognition a reality,” said Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor Action. “With Honor Action applauds House lawmakers for passing this critical legislation in an overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion, and urges the president to swiftly sign it into law.”

The Dustoff Crews of the Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act was originally introduced in 2023, passed through the Senate in May of 2024, and, as a result of its passage in the House today, will now be sent to the President’s desk to be signed into law. With Honor Action has played an active and key role in the advocacy of this bill and looks forward to seeing these brave servicemembers finally recognized for their heroic service. Although it’s been 49 years since the end of the war, it’s never too late to honor these brave men for their service. 

Background

Due to the logistical complications posed by Vietnam’s terrain, the U.S. Army reconsidered a dangerous tactic used sparingly during the Korean War to evacuate wounded servicemembers: aeromedical evacuations. The U.S. Army Air-Ambulance units, referred to as the Dustoff crews, were in charge of these evacuations and consisted of four men: two pilots, a medic, and a crew chief. The skillful flying of these pilots, combined with the increased capacity of the Huey helicopters they flew in, led to the successful transportation of roughly 900,000 United States, Vietnamese, and allied troops. 

Unfortunately, this incredible feat came at a great price to the crewmembers. Due to the space required to transport and operate on patients, the Hueys were unable to carry weapons. Their only safety was red crosses on the nose and doors of the aircraft, a signal of peace that was often used instead as a target. As a result, one-third of the 1,400 Dustoff pilots were killed or wounded. Their motto, “So Others May Live” underscores the sacrifice of these heroic pilots who flew directly into combat unarmed to save their fellow soldiers.

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With Honor Action fights polarization in Congress by supporting principled veterans across party lines who pledge to serve with integrity, civility, and courage. With Honor Action works alongside the bipartisan For Country Caucus in Congress to pass critical legislation for our nation. Learn more about our work at withhonor.org 

With Honor Action is a 501(c)(4), which serves as the organization’s policy and social-welfare arm.

With Honor has an affiliated federally registered “super PAC” called With Honor Fund II.

Washington, DC – With Honor Action has endorsed the Daniel J. Harvey, Jr. and Adam Lambert Improving Servicemember Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act, led by For Country Caucus members Rep. Zach Nunn, Rep. Marianette Miller-Meeks, and Rep. Don Davis, as well as Rep. Jen Kiggans and Rep. Seth Magaziner and Senator Sherrod Brown. There is a mental health crisis gripping the nation, and no one is more affected by this than our veterans. According to The Washington Post, 50,000 veterans used free emergency suicide prevention care in 2023. 

According to the VA’s Annual Suicide Prevention report, veteran suicide rates are at their highest within the first twelve months a servicemember separates from the military. This bill would establish a program to counsel servicemembers on challenges they might face during their transition to civilian life and support them through challenges that may affect their mental health. It would also ensure that servicemembers are aware of the resources and services available to them at their local Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility.

“We need to do better as a country at taking care of our veterans,” said Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor Action. “These brave men and women spent years protecting us, and now we must make sure they are protected from the invisible wounds of war. We urge Congress to pass this bipartisan legislation as soon as possible.”

This bill is dedicated to Daniel J. Harvey, Jr. and Adam Lambert, two brave Marines who served together in Afghanistan, but tragically lost their lives to suicide less than a year after leaving the military. Companion legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Sherrod Brown. 

Previously, With Honor Action has supported legislation that improves mental health resources for our servicemembers and veterans, including the Brandon Act, which made it easier for servicemembers to seek mental health resources confidentially, and the establishment of 9-8-8 as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

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With Honor Action fights polarization in Congress by supporting principled veterans across party lines who pledge to serve with integrity, civility, and courage. With Honor Action works alongside the bipartisan For Country Caucus in Congress to pass critical legislation for our nation. Learn more about our work at withhonor.org 

With Honor Action is a 501(c)(4), which serves as the organization’s policy and social-welfare arm.
With Honor has an affiliated federally registered “super PAC” called With Honor Fund II.

Washington, DC – Mothers serving in the United States military have a lot on their plate. To help improve their quality of life, With Honor Action is endorsing the Maintaining Our Obligation to Moms (MOMS) Who Serve Act, bipartisan legislation led by For Country Caucus founding Vice Chair, Representative Chrissy Houlahan, and founding Co-Chair, Representative Don Bacon. This bipartisan legislation would establish a pilot program to assess the feasibility and impact of providing evidence-based perinatal mental health programs for pregnant and postpartum servicemembers. Rep. Bacon and Rep. Houlahan also lead the House Armed Services Committee’s Military Quality of Life Panel.

A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that one in three female servicemembers experience maternal mental health conditions, almost double the national average for civilian women. To combat this issue, the MOMS Who Serve Act would implement evidence-based models across the military to support perinatal health outcomes for serving mothers.

“For our troops, mental readiness must be as important as physical readiness to give their best in defense of our country,” said Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor Action. “In recognition of a new generation of warfighters, military leadership owes it to mothers and their families to provide them with the resources to make sure this is possible. With Honor Action endorses the MOMS Who Serve Act and thanks Rep. Houlahan and Rep. Bacon for their leadership.”

In 2021, With Honor Action successfully helped pass Rep. Houlahan’s Military Moms Matter Act, which increased access to postpartum care in Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs), including mental health assessments. We urge Congress to include this important legislation in the upcoming drafting of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.

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With Honor Action fights polarization in Congress by supporting principled veterans across party lines who pledge to serve with integrity, civility, and courage. With Honor Action works alongside the bipartisan For Country Caucus in Congress to pass critical legislation for our nation. Learn more about our work at withhonor.org 

With Honor Action is a 501(c)(4), which serves as the organization’s policy and social-welfare arm.
With Honor has an affiliated federally registered “super PAC” called With Honor Fund II.

Washington, D.C. – The House Armed Services Committee’s Military Quality of Life Panel has just released their report and recommendations for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. With Honor Action endorses their recommendations to improve military pay and compensation, child care, housing, access to health care, and spouse support programs.

The Military Quality of Life Panel is a bipartisan group led by For Country Caucus founding Co-Chair, Rep. Don Bacon, and founding Vice Chair, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan and includes caucus members Rep. Don Davis and Rep. Morgan Luttrell. The panel was formed in June 2023 to address the pressing quality of life issues faced by many servicemembers and their families. Since then, they have held hearings, briefings, roundtables, and oversight visits at military installations. Based on the findings from these hearings, they have compiled a report of their findings and recommendations that can be found here.

“Military quality of life has been a top priority for With Honor Action since our founding,” said Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO of With Honor Action. “Our troops are giving their best every day, and they deserve nothing less from their leadership. With Honor Action is actively working alongside the members of the For Country Caucus to address these issues of food insecurity, housing, and access to mental and maternal healthcare in the military, and we urge lawmakers to place these issues at the top of their priorities as well.”

In previous years, With Honor Action has worked closely with the bipartisan members of the For Country Caucus and the Senate to deliver for our servicemembers and their families. Our work has included the passage of the Military Moms Matter Act, which standardized parental leave policies across all the service branches; the Brandon Act, which made it easier for servicemembers to seek mental health resources confidentially; and the Reserve Component Parental Leave Parity Act, which extends active-duty parental leave eligibility standards to the Reserve Components and National Guard.

With Honor Action thanks Representative Bacon, Representative Houlahan, and all of the members of the Quality of Life Panel for their leadership and urges Congress to include their recommendations in the FY25 NDAA.