{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.peters.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/photos-on-veterans-day-senator-peters-presents-military-medals-to-mid-michigan-gold-star-family-of-vietnam-veteran-at-saginaw-valley-state-university", "PHOTOS: On Veterans Day, Senator Peters Presents Military Medals to Mid-Michigan Gold Star Family of Vietnam Veteran at Saginaw Valley State University", "2024-11-11", "2024", "2024-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "MI", "Gary C. Peters", "P000595", "www.peters.senate.gov", "garypeters", "https://www.peters.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 On Veterans Day, U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) presented a Mid-Michigan Gold Star family with several military medals awarded to their late father, Captain James McClain, for his service in the Vietnam War. After serving in the Michigan National Guard, Captain McClain enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served as a Civic Action Advisor in the U.S. Army\u2019s 7th Infantry Division in South Vietnam from February to July of 1964, where he helped build roads and provide support to local innocent civilians impacted by the war. Captain McClain was tragically killed when he and fellow servicemembers were ambushed by Viet Cong forces while returning from a mission. Captain McClain was posthumously awarded a Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart for his service, as well as the National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam National Order Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Marksman Badge, and Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm.\n\n\u201cCaptain McClain was a true American hero. He risked and ultimately gave his life in service to our nation and democracy, and he did so while seeking to build connection and understanding between two peoples,\u201d said Senator Peters, a former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. \u201cThis Veterans Day, I am honored to help recognize his profound bravery and selflessness, as well as the sacrifices of his family.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are honored to have been given the opportunity to welcome Captain McClain\u2019s family and to see his service medals awarded on campus,\u201d said SVSU President George Grant Jr. \u201cWe are home to many military-affiliated students at SVSU, and ceremonies such as this remind us of the value and importance of their military service to our nation.\u201d\n\nCaptain McClain\u2019s daughter contacted Peters\u2019 office for assistance acquiring her family\u2019s Gold Star Lapel Button, through which the office discovered and shared her father\u2019s numerous accolades from the service. During the event, Peters presented Captain McClain\u2019s daughter with his military medals, as well as the Gold Star Lapel Button, to recognize both his heroic service to our nation and the profound sacrifices made by his family.\n\nThe ceremony was held at Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) in conjunction with the SVSU\u2019s annual Veterans Day Breakfast, which recognizes SVSU students, staff, and faculty who have served or are currently serving in the United States. In October, the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) awarded SVSU its new Education Innovator Award for the university\u2019s exceptional support of military-affiliated students. Peters also released a video statement to commemorate Veterans Day.\n\nTo download photos from the ceremony, click HERE.\n\nAs the son of a World War II veteran and a former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, Peters is committed to supporting our nation\u2019s servicemembers and veterans. In 2021, Peters was inducted into the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor for his efforts to support our nation\u2019s veterans and military. In 2017, Peters was recognized as Legislator of the Year by the Vietnam Veterans of America for authoring the bipartisan Fairness for Veterans Act, which was signed into law as part of the national defense bill. The legislation requires veteran discharge review boards to give liberal consideration to petitions for honorable discharge status if the servicemember has been diagnosed with PTSD, TBI or other related conditions connected to their military service. As of the fall of 2020, more than 1,500 veterans have had their discharges upgraded since his legislation was enacted. In 2022, Peters helped enact into law the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act \u2013 which delivered VA health care and benefits to all generations of toxic-exposed veterans \u2013 and their survivors \u2013 for the first time in our nation\u2019s history. As of August 2024, nearly 43,000 veterans across Michigan have applied for the benefits made available under this law.\n\nAs a member of the Armed Services Committee, Peters has repeatedly helped advance and pass into law strong national defense bills to bolster U.S. national security. Peters again helped craft and advance the annual defense legislation this year, where Peters secured funding and provisions to specifically support Michigan\u2019s military installations and robust defense sector, improve our nation\u2019s long-term strategic efforts to combat aggression by adversaries like China and Russia, and give our servicemembers a pay raise.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.peters.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/photos-on-veterans-day-senator-peters-presents-military-medals-to-mid-michigan-gold-star-family-of-vietnam-veteran-at-saginaw-valley-state-university"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5721418894827366, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}