Charleston, SC – During a tele-town hall event hosted for members of America’s veterans community, Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Jay R. Vargas, USMC (Ret) today endorsed Newt Gingrich’s candidacy for president of the United States.
 
“I strongly support and endorse Newt Gingrich’s candidacy to become the next President of the United States,” Colonel Vargas announced Thursday afternoon. “I believe Newt Gingrich’s past experiences as a Congressman and Speaker of the House best prepares him in solving our ailing nation’s problems of today. He understands and knows how to best turn our economy around, solve our budget problems, create an environment where jobs will become available for those unemployed, and how to improve our care for our citizens and new and old veterans. I call upon all Veterans of America who have sacrificed so much to join me in supporting this great American.”
 
This endorsement comes a day following an endorsement of Speaker Gingrich’s candidacy was announced by Medal of Honor recipient MajGen James E. Livingston, USMC (Ret) of Charleston, S.C., who will introduce Gingrich during a special veterans town hall event hosted at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. beginning at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, January 20.
 
Newt Gingrich welcomed Colonel Vargas’ support. “Colonel Jay Vargas is a true American patriot, and I am honored to have the support of national treasures like Colonel Vargas and our mutual friend retired Marine General Jim Livingston. With support from American heroes like these I am fully confident we will win the Republican Party’s nomination, and beat Barack Obama.”
 
Colonel Vargas commanded and led Marines at every level, from Rifle Platoon to an Infantry Regiment. His final tour of duty as a Marine Officer found him on the staff of the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Pacific, where he served as Force Marine.
 
Of his many accomplishments as a Marine Officer, the most widely publicized was achieved in combat:  In the spring of 1968, while serving in the Republic of Vietnam, Vargas’ company engaged in fierce combat with the enemy at the village of Dai Do. During the battle, he was able to free one of his platoons, pinned down by heavy fire, by personally destroying three enemy machine gun positions. Vargas then carried to safety his seriously wounded battalion commander and saved seven other Marines. His actions left 15 of the enemy dead and caused him to sustain wounds at three different times. He refused to leave the field of battle until his injuries compelled him to do so.
 
It was for his actions at Dai Do that, in a May 1970 ceremony at the White House, President Richard M. Nixon presented then Major Vargas with our nation's highest decoration for military valor, the Medal of Honor.
 
In addition to the Medal of Honor, Colonel Vargas's personal decorations include the Silver Star; the Purple Heart with four Gold Stars; the Combat Action Ribbon; the Meritorious Service Medal; and the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Silver Star and Palm.
 
After retiring from Marine Corps in 1993, Colonel Vargas was appointed Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs, a position he held from 1993 to 1998. In July, 2001, the President of the United States appointed him Veterans’ Liaison for the US Department of Veterans’ Affairs, a position in which he served until January, 2009. His region included the 19 Western States, Guam and the Philippines.
 
Colonel Vargas is the recipient of the VFW's "Veteran of the Year Award”;  AMVETS "Civil Servant-of-the-Year Award"; and the Jewish War Veterans, USA “ Citizen of the Year Award” for his dedicated service in caring for veterans. He continues to serve as a spokesperson for Triwest Healthcare’s mental health campaign, reaching out to both active duty military and veterans.