BACKGROUND
Our friends over at This Ain’t Hell featured a couple of stories in regard to John Thomas Burch Jr. One was about the National Vietnam Veterans Foundation, his charity, and the other was about his Special Forces service claims.
The story covered by CNN‘s Jake Tapper brought some sunlight on how Burch’s organization gives less than 2% ($122,0000) of the almost 9 million dollars ($8.66 mil) it takes in according to their tax filings. The bulk of the money, $7.7 million, was given to professional fundraisers.
According to disabledveterans.org, Burch has two jobs at the Veterans Adminstration. One being the leading Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) attorney for the VA Office of General Counsel and the other as the Deputy Director of Homeland Security and Operations at VA.
His position as the head of National Vietnam Veterans Foundation nets him $65,000. He may need that additional income to to pay for necessities like basic transportation to get him from point A to point B.
Or to quickly get away from reporters asking questions…
Burch has had ambitions for high positions of service within the US Government. In this letter in 1988, he asked for an appointment in the Bush administration.
John Thomas Burch Jr. goes by the name “J Thomas Burch Jr” and often wears a Green Beret cover to highlight his time with Special Forces.
Burch has always been proud of his Special Forces claim, putting it on resumes.
FOIA RESULTS
SUMMARY and DISCUSSION
J Thomas Burch served in Vietnam with the 5th Special Forces Group from June 1967 – December 1968. He was a JAG officer i.e. a lawyer while he was at Special Forces. Other than jump school, he has no special forces training.
He did, however, receive an honorary parachutists certificate from the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces.
The Special Forces Association issued a letter saying that he should have been an associate member vs a regular membership. This was their response…
So, the distinction of whether J Thomas Burch Jr was qualified as Special Forces or worked in a support role with Special Forces may seem to be splitting hairs, but to the individuals that earned that title it makes all of the difference in the world.
J Thomas Burch Jr’s military claims are not supported by his official military records.
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