tonight on huckabee... >> they chose to be greater people. >> war hero on helping fellow veterans transition into this civilian work force. >> part of the training and skills. >> and... scandal at the va. >> these allegations prove to be true, it's dishonorable. it's disgraceful. and i will not tolerate it. >> a former veteran's affairs hospital doctor says reports of mistreatment are not isolated cases. >> some cascases, i did see bet care at the prison hospital.

>> plus, they insist to serve their country. >> boys were so close. >> two best friends, now brothers forever. >> thank you. thank you very much. great audience. and welcome to huckabee from fox studios in new york city on this special memorial day edition of our show. of the 300 million americans there are 78 living among us who are a special breed. just 78 of them. they're not celebrities but should be. they're not wealthy by virtue of what puts them in this unique club they don't hold political power, they're not household names or

included in a special fratern y fraternity. in order to be in this small number they had to do the kind of things movies are made of. they're the 78 living recipients of the medal of honor. our nation's highest award, above and beyond the call of duty. for what they did at great risk to themselves and acted to save others it's never froerpt say someone won the medal of honor. it's not bestowed because he or she sat out to on someone working. they have exhibited humility that is pro found. it was my privilege to honor the recipients sponsored by walmart. walmart committed to hiring 100,0

100,000 veterans in the next five years. walmart hired 40,000 of them in the first year and a half of the initiative. president george w. bush was honored at the event and delivered a heart felt and endearing message of appreciation to our nation's military members but the focus was on the 14 medal of honor heros present. each exuded greatness by virtue of having once been an ordinary person who answered the call of duty and did an extraordinary thing to save others every story of a medal of honor recipient is worth telling and knowing. you know, most teens don't they don't maybe know much about medal of honor. they know the first nfl draft pick. they know mvp of the nba or who has number one hit on the pop charts. i wish they knew these 78 men.

for every person who is a living recipient six received their medal posthumously. one is colonel bruce randall. if you saw the movie based on the book "we were soldiers once" you're going to see a helicopter pilot who flew into a red hot landing zone 22 times in one day. he started flying at 6:30 in the morning and didn't stop until 10:30 that night just to bring the wounded out and take water and ammo in. despite being told to stay put because the mission was too dangerous. unarmed and unarmored huey chopper flew into the battle because he took an oath to leave month man behind seriously. in utter disregard for his life he, along with his wing man major ed freeman were responsible for saving 70 lives during that one day. i wish american school children were required to hear this story

of the heros that bought their freedom with unselfish acts. i think a kid would do better to spend time understanding the price of our freedom, than spending more time with an x box or video game. look. i admire athletes and entertainers but they aren't heros they're just talented people who are very well compensated for what they do. real heros are those in uniform. some of them were soldiers once, and young. in 20 is one dakota mier honored by president obama and defied orders and exposed himself to enemy fire to help safe lives of 36 men and pull bodies of four others from enemy territory. that is so they can be returned home to their families. marine sargeant dakota mier

joins us now. dakota, great to see you again. thanks for joining us. >> there is a great story. you almost missed a call from the president when being informed of your medal of honor. how did that happen? >> well, we set it up at 11:50 on monday. and i was out, working. and you know, told them i had to call me on my cell phone. so they were arranging to it where the president would call me and supposed to call at 11:50. i waited until noon. 10:00, and it was late i went back to work. i heard my cell phone as i went back to work. >> you're the only person i met saying i'm sorry. i can't take the call. i've got a job i've got to get done. >> they said -- i love it.

it's a great story. it is. go ahead. >> they said that you know the president was tied up. busy. and i said, i understand i'm busy, too. i've got to. >> one of the things you've been focused on is helping people transition back into civilian life. you know? i quit using the term ptsd. the d stands for disorder people think if a person had trauma from combat they're forever unable to function. that is not true. people in a car wreck had trauma. they get over it. why is it that people think that the veteran has pts it's somehow permanent disability? rather than something they've got to work through? >> well, because what happens is that i believe they gather everything together. you know? if there is a shooting here, the

veteran will, obviously, ptsd. those things there they just hurt so much because you know, some people have issues before they come n i'm no doctor but you know, i dealt with pts. i know other brother who's have done that. and it's not about wanting to hurt other people. it's a guilt feeling of what happened of missing your brothers and trying to make sense of what actions are that you're saying. you go, you watch people die. you're under stress of knowing you can lose your life in a mement. it's a natural reaction you know what i mean? and i tell people, you know, i look at ptsd like lice. do you know what i mean? >> that is well said because i hope people are listening to your message. there are a lot of employers that ought to be hiring

veterans. what advice would you give to those employers? because maybe they've heard a story that a veteran might come with some baggage. >> well, you know, look. look. veterans are, number one we talk about, you know worried about the next generation. you know this is an all volunteer ward. fought by all volunteers. and i just found this out. by less than 24% or less than half a percent carry the burden. and these men and women could have had a choice to do anything they wanted to. they could have had any job. went to college. any opportunity. it was -- they live in america but they chose to be greater people and to serve others i can tell you multiple stories. of what the sacrifice the men

and women make. you know, if you put word in the same sentence other than great then you're doing a discredit. you don't know what you're talking about. but as far as employment goes it's where i come back. i live by the motto of hire talent train skills the pull of the town of the men and women coming back, skills they just part of, you know, you know part of the military, they come back with dismrin leadership skills. and all kinds of personal management. you know? i know there is a lot of stress in the work place to be honest with you, they've dealt with stress there are not too many work places they've done it. >> they have. i want to thank you not just for

what you're doing now but for actions that you took, thanks for being one of the folks to give us reasons to love america, to appreciate veterans god bless you today. >> thank you. thank you. >> so you're a veteran. wruf got years of military experience now looking for work in the private sector. how do skills translate to a resume? what do you say in a job interview? answers coming up next.

too many american children know very little about our great country and its history. i helped laufrnl a series for t children to let them learn their history. you can receive a free dvd by going to free military dvd.com. i think your kids or your

grandkids are going to love this. we heard medal of honor recipient dakota mier describe difficulties veterans face. my next guest is helping veterans transition to a civilian career. retired colonel john phillips. co-founder of the coca-cola veterans resource group written a book called boots to loafers also with us is grant mcgary. he made the transition through the program. it's great to have you here. and take a look at this. what is the most difficult thing a vet has to deal within transitioning into private sector? >> i think there is two aspects that are difficult. i deal with these on a daily basis. two things important. communications. both verbal, nonverbal. and cultural differences

when it comes to different cultures and countries it's a nonissue. you're deployed all over the united states and world you know how to adjust to all of the situations and culture, but corporate cultures are different between military. >> in what way? give me an example. >> you know it goes back to communications side you know? military you get, someone talks to you, they're giving you orders it's clear what the mission is. there is no -- it's transparent. my experience has been you know sometimes, you'll go to a native and come out of the meeting and go i'm not sure what happened here. i'm not sure what i need to do. and it's -- there is that difference. you can have to help translate that and ask a follow up question. >> let's talk about your transition. how did that help you? >> yes.

hardest part is translating skills and putting them onto the resume. i remember sitting this, just not knowing where to begin. >> i was arranger team leader. >> okay. >> special operations. and you know it wasn't easy. high attention to detail. it's stressful environments leading, everything that comes and confidence to make a decision and follow through and see it through. get the job done. that was hard to translate in the interview itself. because... interviewers never walked in your boots. they never, they weren't 1% that served. they don't believe you. so that is the hardest part and

that is where this book, this book helps you to be able to put together a resume get to what you need going into an interview. >> book would be a terrific hand book. you talk in the book transition, transformation. integration. there is a key point i want to you speak to. you make this comment you know more than you think you do. >> there is a second part to that. never sell yourself short. you know more than you think you do. i can tell you an example. i had to -- i'm in finance in the day job. a situation came up in the supply side which i'm not working in. well, i worked in supply 30 years ago in the army. and it was pretty much the same problem. so i had to reach back on those lessons learned i had from the military experience and apply them into the current day. it's solved a problem.

>> you do know more than you think you do. it takes time to dig down. it's not easy. >> when we say you know more than you think you do, we're talking about veterans not politicians. >> thank you for being here. >> coming up, outrage over reported veterans affairs hospital scandal.

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>> president obama and administration facing for the veterans affairs.

>> the inspector general at the va launched investigations into phoenix va and other facilities families deserve to know the facts. once we know the facts i assure you, if there is misconduct, it will be punished. >> my next guest is a physician that witnessed some mistreatment. >> you have worked in a number of va facilities when you heard these stories, were surprised by this? >> well, at the beginning, i was a little bit surprised because of the fact that when i initially started my training and a va hospital in baltimore, i got some of the most training there. i am a veteran. but later on, when i started working as a contractor for some of the veteran hospitals i

started to see some of the improprieties going on. and i guess when i treat patients i try to treat every patient like they're my own family member. if you do that, you can't get into problems however, it seemed as if in my own case, i would try to do top notch care. my hands were tied because of the rules. and what went on there. >> why would there be rules? i don't understand that. >> it's not necessarily rules i believe that government workers because of the fact government insures these physicians and a lot of the health care workers. i believe a lot of the times because of the fact they're government insureed and not carrying their own malpractice insurance i had to carry my own malpractice insurance.

but some of the physicians and people there didn't carry their own. so it seems they would let the government bear that burden. i wanted to give them the same care i co-would give to a private facility. you worked in four hospitals. i know you described some of the things you saw. >> i went into a hospital saturday morning. saw a post op patient. what i saw just disturbed me because of the fact that one of the patients screaming out in one of the rooms in pain. and he had surgery the day before. it was not my patient. so it's not ethical to over step the other physician. soy started inquiring. a nurse says dr. greenly will you from anesthesia? i said yes i am.

she said they've been trying to get ahold of the physician, he's been having pain. just in pain. i said i'm going to break protocol and take care of this veteran. so i went into the room, and i said listen. what is going on here? he was a post heroin addict on methadone not told to bring it with him. i started looking at the pain orders they were well beneath what he needed >> you worked in prisons compare difference between prison hospitals and va hospitals who gets better care? . >> i trained at university of texas medical branch. i had to say i did see better cases in than i did in the va hospitals. >> it wasn't, i can't paint a wide band across all va

hospitals but some were not up to standard of care even in prison hospitals i have to say our prisoners are treated well in texas. >> that is disturbing. i appreciate the story. i think all of us are outraged when they think it's happening one location but more outraged if we think it's a systemic problem. i know there are good people working in them. there is something wrong when this many veterans are not getting the care or the quality they have earned. thank you very much. >> thank you for having me. >> coming up, one grandson wants to honor a grandfather he never met z his fight to make sure the men he

now back to "huckabee". >> air force presented pow medals to airmen nearly 70 years after they were held captive. it happened just weeks ago. >> there are a lot of reasons for why allies were victorious in world war ii. eight reasons are on the stage today >> the airmen carried out some of the dangerous missions of the war. chance of surviving without the shot down, captured or killed

only one in four. >> think about the courage to step out of the briefing room. walk on to flight line, buckle into a v 17 or 24. knowing that the fighters and fear. they're waiting. >> many who were shot down found themselves in switzerland when attempting to escape they were taken captive. >> they slept on lice-infested straw. sewage overflowed into common areas with no medical treatment available. there was starvation. >> treatment no different than those in nazi germany but because switzerland was neutral ground these warriors denied a medal nearly 70 years. the remaining eight survivors

imprisoned were able to witness injustice reversed the reason is in large part to a 15-year fight by one man. army major dwight meters. an. major meres grandfather was among internees held prisoner. thanks to his fight for his grandfather, all of the american heros are getting the recognition they deserve. >> remarkable story. >> a congressional amendment to allow them to be eligible for p.o.w.medal in national defense authoration act. all 143 internees held captive have been awarded the medal. the eight are the remaining survivors. joining me is dwight meirs.

his grandfather is one of those that posthumously received this medal. great to have you here. i want to say i feel like i'm looking at you. it's a remarkable resemblance. i'm curious how you became interested your grandfather passed away before you were born. how did you decide you wanted to find out more about what he had done in the war? >> thanks governor my grandfather died in 1972. i wasn't born until later in that decade. and my grandmother remarried and lived in new jersey. so when i was at academy, i had a long weekend i would go visit her. and she had a propensity to say things perhaps she ought not to have. some of the things they said were interesting we were going through some of her things and found a pair miff

grandfather's shoes according to my grandmother he walked out of switzerland into france wearing these shoe asks they were destroyed. cracked, worn through soles. i asked about this and got a handful of information about how he had been shot down by germans and interned for almost a year in switzerland. >> what was the most stunning discovery you found out about your grandfather and these other guys? >> my aassumption is that switzerland probably treated them much bet than in axis countries. and in most cases that was true. there were 1500 air men ended up in switzerland who were interned when they tried to escape, however they were sent to confinement facilities where treatment was much more severe. . >> i think about the fact you never met your grandfather but

met him in a -- in a depth very few people will connect with a family member. you've got to feel a sense of fulfillment and a real connection to a true hero of the country. >> well, in some ways i've only studied combat experiences of my grandfather went through, only four years of his life. in other ways, i think i have, you know, researched on behalf of my family and other people really some of the defining elements of the men's lives. in terms of their service. and so, whether it's about my grandfather or eyes of other men i've talked with, i think that i have helped people come closer to their loved ones that is the most-fulfilling aspect of it. >> you've reminded us of the great sacrifice of many. thank you for your service, major. and for dedication to your

grandfather's memory and all of those who served with him. >> among thousands of american heros in arlington national cemetery, why two best friends, side by side, brothers forever, their touching story, next.

>> two american warriors were best friends in life.

so, their families made sure these brothers in arms would find eternal rest side by side in arlington cemetery. >> they met as roommates at the naval academy in maryland. both from military families and became fast friends, sharing the same desire to be leaders serve their country and go to the action. after graduation, brendan trained as a navy s.e.a.l. travis joined the marines they went to different parts of the globe their friendship stayed intact. april 29, 2007, first lieutenant travis manyon killed in iraq trying to shield fellow marines. >> i was lucky enough to room with travis. in a short time he became another brother to me. he was a great friend. and officer. >> the news of his buddy's death only strengthened brendan's resolve he completed his navy s.e.a.l.

honors, got marryed and deployed to afghanistan. three years later he and eight other warriors were killed in a black hawk crash near an afghan village. families of both men knew what had to be done, arranging for these two friends and heros to lay side by side in arlington national cemetery the president honored the two the following memorial day >> the friendship between the two reflect the meaning of memorial day. brotherhood. sacrifice. love of country. >> travis and brandan's story told in a new book brothers forever. written by travis's father. this is a remarkable story. when i think about these two boys, their friendship and the bond they have that is so strong the family said they need to be

buried side by side, whose decision was it to put them together in arlington? >> we lost travis in april, 2007. and you know your worst nightmare as parents n a state of shock. my wife and i. and you know you have just, weeks to decide where you're going to bury someone. and we, my wife wanted to bury him close to home. we came to find out afterwards that he spoke to some friends and family members and was serious about wanting to be in arlington. so we didn't get him settled there. we talked about possibly moving him down to arlington. we could never make a decision my wife was really just conflicted by it she wanted to visit him. but felt like he needed to be in arlington. worst thing happened we lost brendan. we went down there with brendan

and his wife, amy. his parents. and amy said that she wanted brendan next to travis in arlington. we said he's not there. but it was finally felt right for my wife she came to me and said maybe we should try to make this happen. and we got a lot of support from arlington and we're able to move travis down. we moved travis in and buried brendan next to him. >> the remarkable thing is that this is not easy. you had to exhume the body of travis make sure the graves could be together. my understanding is that this went up to secretary of defense, robert gates said make this happen. a lot of people moved heaven and earth to make sure that this could take place. did that give your family some comfort? and understanding these boys are actually still going to be together in death? >> well, it was great to see how everyone rallied around that request.

whether in arlington, i think it's secretary of the army makes the final call he did. and we got tremendous support to make it happen. both families were there. we knew it is about brendan. his day we buried travis the friday before. we told looneys it's going to be a quiet thing. they showed up and with us there, that day. >> these boys were inseparable as friends. what has it done for the families? you guys have experienced something of a bond of your sons? >> well, any time you lose a child, i -- there is nothing like that. so we certainly can feel what each other is feeling about those types of things we're close. the boys were so, so close. and it's difficult. you go through a grieving

process there are a lot of things going on. it's been a lot for us as a family. a lot for kevin and marina as well. >> what did you want america to know about your son and brendan that you felt this book gave you the opportunity to do? >> their president stri, as the president said in arlington, their story is america's story. it's a story of brotherhood, friendship. these guys had character but would be the first to say you know it's not about that. it's about all that served we go out and talk to high schools about that we ask that question. high school students. we tell them, you know you can serve in honor of those that didn't come back, behind a hero. make a difference with family, your community. at your school. and for your country. it doesn't have to be in uniform. get more connected. what better example than those guy that's have served selflessly for these many years. >> colonel, thank you very much. >> thank you. >> beautiful story.

>> thank you. >> coming up, ministry group sounds of liberty with a musical tribute to those

my next guest leads groups to worship all over the country. they're a traveling ministry team from leland yoouuniversity. please welcome "the sounds of liberty." ♪

♪ somewhere a trumpet sounds in the night. a soldier is standing there ♪ ♪ it's calling him out to the stars and the stripes ♪ ♪ it's calling him god knows where ♪ ♪ he the ones he loves goodbye and leaves in the dead of night ♪ ♪ the freedom he'll heed, the call of all he knows ♪ ♪ and for freedom he'll stand and fight ♪ ♪ somewhere a man and wife can't believe ♪ ♪ they're waving their girl goodbye ♪ ♪ for gone are the days of

pigtails and curls askand candlt lullabyes ♪ ♪ if they had their way she'd stay around forever and never be far from home ♪ ♪ freedom has brought her heart to dangerous shore ♪ ♪ and for freedom they'll let her go ♪ ♪ somewhere a thunder russ crash in the night ♪ ♪ it echoes all through the hills ♪ ♪ the many escape its wrath and its rage ♪ ♪ a soldier lies wounded still

♪ the man he loves, she cries ♪ i love you with all my might ♪ freedom sent off their son whatever comes ♪ ♪ and for&

we bring our memorial day

weekend to a close and i'd like to urge you to do more than just enjoy a picnic, a barbecue or a day at the beach or the lake. thank god for your freedom. and for the men and women in uniform who provide it. [ applause ] >> i've got a good friend and this good friend is named martha coughlin. she's a teacher in little rock. her father was a world war ii pow. martha wanted to give her students a lesson on freedom they would never forget. so with the permission of her principal, she removed all the desks from her classroom. when the students came for first period and said, where are our desks, martha said, you're not going to get a desk until you tell us how you earn one. students suggested, well, good grades or good behavior. martha told them while those were very important, it wouldn't earn them a desk. as each period came and went, students were stumped as to how

to earn a desk, and word started spreading around the campus about this teacher who had lost her mind and taken the desks out. students started calling their parents, some called the media and local television crews showed up to try to find out what in the world was going on. at the last period of the school day when no student had correctly answered how to earn a desk, martha coughlin went to the classroom door and opened it and welcomed a parade of veterans who walked in carrying school desks. and as they brought in the desks and lined them in rows, martha told them, kids, you don't have to earn your desk. these guys already did. i salute great teachers and patriots across our land who honor our veterans. and most of all, i salute our veterans who earned me a lot more than a school desk. they earned me my freedom. and to them i say thanks and god bless you.

[ applause ] that's it for tonight. this is mike huckabee. from new york, good night and god bless. and stay tunedririririririririrl day, everybody. a heartfelt thank you to our troops for their service. "mediabuzz" with howie kurtz begins right now. on the buzz-meter this sunday the mainstream media ripping the obama administration for its bungling of the g gut-wrenching scandal at va hospitals. and outraged that the white house says the president learned about it from the press. >> it is lunacy to have shinseki, who is overseeing the va debacle, investigate anything. lunacy. >> and i think the president needs to step up. i think heads do need to roll at the va. >> the question is what on earth has taken everyone so long to address them? >> but were the media too slow to jump on these disclosures about secret waiting lists and patient deaths? and why has the story now gotten such traction when other