A Congressman in the running for the top job at the Veterans Administration has a strong connection to The Villages.
Brian Mast, 37, who represents the Treasure Coast in the U.S. House of Representatives, is said to be under consideration for the top VA post by President Trump, in part because of the veteran’s compelling personal story.
Mast was serving in the Army in 2010 when he stepped on an Improvised Explosive Device in Afghanistan. He lost both his legs.
In 2015 at the Indy Orchid Gala in The Villages, Mast performed “God Bless America,” at a Villagers for Veterans event.
“It was an amazing event and Brian made it even more amazing,” said Marie Bogdonoff, who heads Villagers for Veterans. “When he sang ‘God Bless America” everyone in the Savannah Center was moved. It was a beautiful moment.”
To see the video go to: https://www.facebook.com/TheVillagesNews/videos/900365066669529/
The annual event raises money to benefit injured veterans.
At that event, Mast told Villages-News.com that he believes all veterans returning home “just want to be treated like everybody else.”
He said veterans don’t want to be seen as broken, injured or maimed.
“We’re people who gave our service to the United States of America. We were doing something we loved. We were doing something we wanted to do. Our service in the military builds character. Veterans knows what it means and we never lose what we learned in the service,” he said.
