September 30, 2020

Dear John,

As a member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, one of the most important parts of my job in Congress is helping our veterans get the benefits and medals that are owed to them. Recently, I helped U.S. Army Captain Elrie Freeman of Garland get the Purple Heart medal he earned 50 years after he suffered injuries while serving in Vietnam.

U.S. Army Captain Elrie Freeman of Garland with his Purple Heart medal and certificate.

Captain Freeman reached out to my office in April requesting my assistance in getting his Purple Heart medal. He initially tried to get the medal 50 years ago, but was unsuccessful, and wasn’t sure if he wanted to pursue it again. I let Captain Freeman know of my experience helping veterans get their medals and benefits, and contacted the Department of Defense on his behalf. Within a couple of months, Captain Freeman was notified that he was going to receive his Purple Heart medal, and last week my team personally delivered his Purple Heart medal to him.

Captain Freeman’s neighbors in Garland even greeted him outside to help honor the special occasion.

Here’s what Captain Freeman said about his experience: 

“I thank you, Congressman Allred and his team for the outstanding assistance you have provided me in applying for and receiving the Purple Heart awarded [to] me. I don’t know if I would have continued my pursuit of applying for the award if it had not been for Congressman Allred and your immediate offer of help and assistance. That was crucial.

“You gave me the confidence that it could be accomplished through your experience in helping other veterans with similar challenges in the past. You wasted no time in getting to work expediting the application process resulting in me receiving the award in just a few months that could have otherwise taken exponentially longer."

Since entering Congress, I’ve helped many North Texas veterans and military families resolve issues with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) and other federal agencies. Veterans and their family members who need help getting VA benefits, military medals and awards or other information can contact my district office at 972-972-7949 for assistance with their issues. They can also visit my veteran services page at https://allred.house.gov/services/veteran-services.

Whether it’s getting veterans and their families the benefits that are owed to them, or securing a new VA medical center in Garland, I will always fight for North Texas veterans.

For the latest updates on the coronavirus or information on resources available to you during this public health crisis, visit my website at allred.house.gov/coronavirus. If you are a veteran who needs help with the VA or any other federal agency, please contact my office at 972-972-7949 for assistance.

Sincerely,

Colin Allred
Member of Congress