The federal government seems to keep giving veterans the shaft. While we should be bending over backwards to show our gratitude, the liberals currently running the show don’t seem to acknowledge the sacrifices of those who put on a uniform to defend us.
And now, the Navy has slammed the door in the face of the country’s only distillery owned by a disabled veteran. Travis Barnes joined the Marines right after 9/11. He did three tours in Iraq with First Recon, suffering traumatic brain injuries. Travis was able to overcome a lot of obstacles to go to law school and then he opened an artisan distillery.
Travis worked with the Veterans Affairs office to hire vets at Hotel Tango Whiskey. He’s gone the extra mile for his country and for his fellow veterans. So, when he approached the navy about stocking his spirits at naval bases, he was surprised to be rejected.
The Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) told him that they wouldn’t offer his alcohol because it was not a well known national brand. So, instead of promoting a veteran and allowing service members to enjoy booze made by a wounded warrior, the Navy opted for large corporate libations.
“That was kind of their weak sauce excuse, ‘you’re not national so we don’t think you can handle the volume.’ That was it,” Barnes said. “That was never brought up in any of the meetings. That was never brought up before or after. When we were in the meetings it was all sunshine and rainbows, ‘we love the product, love the taste, love the packaging, love that you’re a disabled-veteran-owned company.’ And then two months later we just get a flat no.”
This irritates Barnes not just because of the loss of opportunity but because he wanted to share his product with service members. Wouldn’t the service members want to have the product of a veteran ON base?
The Department of Defense even uses a picture of Barnes on their website. The government can use him to promote the DoD, but his whiskey can’t be served base. What sense does that make?
You can learn more about Hotel Tango Whiskey below and how Barnes wants to hire veterans. And buy a bottle of it to support our vets! Check out his Facebook page too.
Why do you think the Navy slammed the door on a veteran owned business? Please leave a comment.
H/T: Free Beacon