American Legion Post 50 Myers-Prescott-Olsen Post 50 in Antrim hosted Senatorial candidate Scott Brown for a discussion of veterans’ issues Thursday, April 2.
Brown, a veteran who served 35 years with the United States Army and a former state senator from Massachusetts, served as ambassador to New Zealand and Australia from 2017 to 2020 under President Trump. Brown is challenging former New Hampshire Senator John Sununu for the Senate.
Veterans in attendance from Antrim, Hillsborough, Weare and surrounding towns expressed concern about lack of staffing in VA facilities, shortages in the armed forces due to the low re-enlistment rate, and changes to the military pension system. Some veterans also expressed support for a national service requirement for all US citizens.
Antrim’s state representative, retired Air Force Colonel Jim Creighton, voiced his concerns about a bill in the New Hampshire legislature that could affect the New Hampshire National Guard.
“Two weeks ago, New Hampshire National Guard tankers were flying over Iran,” Creighton said. “If this bill had passed, they would not have been able to go. This bill passed in the House, but it got crushed in the Senate.”
The bill in question would have prevented New Hampshire from sending the National Guard to participate in any conflict that had not been given a declaration of war by Congress. Creighton said the bill was sponsored by “Free Staters and Libertarians” in the New Hampshire legislature.
“We have not had a declaration of war since 1942,” Creighton said. “So this would seriously impact our guard.”
Brown thanked Creighton and state representative Riché Colcombe of Hillsborough for their work advocating for veterans’ issues.
“Keep up the good work,” he said.