Today, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dennis McDonough, Senior Advisor to the President Cedric Richmond, and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor Josh Geltzer hosted a virtual meeting with over 70 veteran, military family, caregiver and survivor organizations to discuss the ongoing drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Administration officials offered condolences following yesterday’s terrorist attacks in Kabul that took the lives of brave American service members and killed and wounded innocent Afghan civilians.

In what was a somber and serious discussion, participants updated Administration officials on how these organizations are working to support the drawdown and also highlighted their priorities which include providing veterans and military families access to mental health and other support services, adequate funding for resettlement agencies, and combatting extremist rhetoric and misinformation about Afghan allies who will be resettled in U.S communities.

Administration officials reiterated the President’s commitment to both our allies and the brave men and women who have and currently serve our nation, committed to continued engagement and partnership with these groups, and ended by thanking participants for their extraordinary and ongoing efforts to help veterans, military families and our Afghan allies.

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