Beth Macy, Democratic candidate for Virginia’s 6th Congressional District, will host a Veterans Appreciation and Support Event on June 30 at American Legion Post 3 in Salem.
The event is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the post, located at 710 Apperson Drive. According to organizers, the gathering will provide veterans from across the district an opportunity to meet with Macy in an open forum to discuss issues affecting veterans and their families.
Representatives from local and regional organizations that assist veterans are expected to attend and provide information on veterans benefits, Department of Veterans Affairs health care, suicide prevention and other resources available to veterans.
Veterans, military family members and members of the public interested in veterans issues are encouraged to attend. Organizers said Macy plans to hold additional veterans-focused events throughout the district later this summer and fall.
A free meal, soft drinks and water will be available to attendees.
Special guests are expected to include Paul Sullivan, Rear Adm. John Butler, U.S. Navy (Retired), and Maj. Gen. Marilyn Quagliotti, U.S. Army (Retired).
Sullivan served as a cavalry scout with the U.S. Army’s 1st Armored Division during the 1991 Gulf War ground campaign in Iraq and Kuwait. Following his military service, he became an advocate for veterans and currently serves as director of veteran outreach for Bergmann & Moore, a VA-accredited law firm representing veterans in disability appeals.
His previous roles include deputy secretary of communications for the California Department of Veterans Affairs, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense and executive director of the National Gulf War Resource Center. He also worked at the Department of Veterans Affairs, where he monitored health care and disability benefit utilization among Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq War veterans.
Butler served 31 years in the U.S. Navy as a submariner and engineering duty officer. His career included leadership positions as program executive officer for submarines and commander of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center.
After retiring from military service, Butler spent a decade as a vice president with Lockheed Martin, overseeing naval strategic systems programs supporting the U.S. Navy and the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. He later founded JD Butler Consulting, a firm specializing in undersea technology.
Among his military honors are the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and three Legion of Merit awards. In 2010, Queen Elizabeth II appointed him Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for contributions to the Royal Navy’s submarine force.
Quagliotti completed a 32-year Army career that included serving as vice director of the Defense Information Systems Agency, where she was chief operating officer overseeing network and cybersecurity services supporting national defense and military leadership.
Her previous assignments included theater signal commander for Europe and chief information officer for U.S. Army and joint forces in Europe. In those roles, she supported operations throughout Europe, Kosovo, Bosnia, Africa and Afghanistan.
Macy is a former reporter for The Roanoke Times and the author of five books examining issues affecting communities across the United States. Her works include “Factory Man,” which explored globalization and manufacturing jobs in Virginia; “Dopesick,” which examined the opioid crisis in Appalachia; and “Paper Girl,” which explored political divisions in America through the experiences of her family and hometown in Ohio.
In a statement, Macy said her family’s experience shaped her commitment to veterans issues.
“As the daughter of a U.S. Army veteran of World War II who required significant medical care after returning home, I am deeply aware of the importance of supporting our veterans with policies, resources and funding,” Macy said. “Meeting with veterans in an open forum is an important part of understanding their needs and ensuring they have a voice in the decisions that affect their lives here in Virginia’s 6th District.”
