Joe Biden appeared at Vet Fest, a festival in support of Delaware’s veterans near Middletown.
The event will include a $300,000 presentation to Stop Soldier Suicide.
Former President Joe Biden joined veterans, families and others at a Middletown-area festival to honor those who served in the military on the morning of Sept. 27.
He was an unannounced guest of honor who kicked off Vet Fest, which included concerts and a 5K running and walking race in the Town of Whitehall development, located just south of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.
In his speech, he thanked veterans and talked about his son Beau, who served in Iraq and was awarded a Bronze Star. After the speech, Biden walked around the event and greeted the many people who came up to him. He even bought some lemonade from a child’s lemonade stand. He gave $20 to Hiral Patel and her daughter, Arya, for the trouble. No pressure. He also bought a crocheted trinket from Chen Du and her young son, Max Miao.
While looking at a memorial for members of the military who lost their lives, he said that he thinks cutting programs that help veterans is “wrong.” In July, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it is on pace to reduce its staff by 30,000 by the end of the fiscal year.
“What the president’s doing is, I think, it’s wrong,” Biden said in an interview. “These men, their families gave their lives, and the idea of cutting health care, veterans benefits – it’s outrageous; it’s got to stop.”
Biden was one of about 1,500 to 1,700 attendees whom Brian DiSabatino expected to enjoy the festival. DiSabatino is Vet Fest’s organizer, and his red-white-and-blue shirt and tall cowboy hat showed his patriotism and passion for helping veterans access mental health care. He said that a check for $300,000 would be presented at the festival for Stop Soldier Suicide, a national nonprofit that does what its name suggests.
DiSabatino said this event is one of the ways he wants veterans to connect with civilians so they can feel supported.
“We bring young people up to speed on what the dignity of service looks like, but most importantly, we educate our military that the civilian world has their backs, that they don’t have to sit in a silo by themselves because we believe that one of the best ways to combat the scourge of suicide isthrough connection,” he said.
Retired Maj. Gen. Frank Vavala, former adjutant general of the Delaware National Guard, was rocking a Blue Rocks jersey while at the festival. He said Delaware can be a positive example of how to support veterans on a state level. Delaware recently established a Cabinet-level agency and position to directly address issues surrounding the state’s 70,000 veterans.
HELP FOR DELAWARE VETERANS: Gov. Meyer signs Veterans Affairs Department bill
NEW LEADER: Brig. Gen. Karen Berry confirmed for Veterans Affairs Department secretary
“I think Delaware has made tremendous strides in recognizing that we’ve got between 70 (thousand) and 80,000 veterans, and then when you dial in their families, their relatives, their friends, I mean, it’s a big portion of a big voting block here in Delaware, and we’re important,” he said.
State Sen. Nicole Poore, a New Castle, Bear and St. Georges Democrat, sponsored the enabling bill and was at the event on Sept. 27. She said states should take that idea and “run with it.”
DiSabatino said this is a critical community event in its 10th year. It started small and has grown to having a president join the fun.
“I think it’s really clear to us that what started out as a real simple fundraiser we gathered 10 years ago in a muddy field with a couple of R&B bands to just raise a couple of bucks,” he said. “What it’s turned out is a way to bring the community together around a host of issues.”