FIRST ON FOX: Over 1,000 veterans have joined the National Veterans Coalition recently launched by GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, his campaign tells Fox News Digital.The DeSantis campaign launched the coalition in South Carolina two weeks ago touting the Florida governor’s status as the only veteran in the presidential race on both sides of the aisle while highlighting his “Mission First” military and national defense policy unveiled this summer.”Leadership is a privilege and should be earned, not given,” Congressman Rich McCormick (R-GA), a decorated Marine Corps and Navy veteran, who is the national chair for the Veterans for DeSantis Coalition, told Fox News Digital. “Veterans from across the nation are lining up to support Ron DeSantis for president because he is the only candidate in this race who has worn the flag on his sleeve and truly understands what it means to put service above self. It’s a dangerous world, and we need a commander-in-chief who is ready to go on Day One.”DESANTIS WARNS BIDEN’S DEPLOYMENT OF US TROOPS AMID ISRAEL CONFLICT COULD MAKE THEM ‘SITTING DUCKS’ Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at veteran charity event. (Getty Images)”Veterans and Americans can trust Ron DeSantis to lead by example and always put the American people first,” McCormick added.The DeSantis campaign tells Fox News Digital the number of veterans joining the coalition is continuing to grow each day.DeSantis, who says he was inspired to serve in the military by the attacks on 9/11, joined the Navy after graduating from Harvard Law and deployed as a JAG officer in Iraq and was awarded a Bronze Star.DESANTIS ADMIN DIRECTS FLORIDA UNIVERSITIES TO TERMINATE STUDENT CHAPTERS THAT SUPPORT ‘HAMAS TERRORISM’ Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis waves as he arrives for his campaign kickoff event at Eternity Church in Clive, Iowa. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)Dan Bean, a retired Navy captain, said in the press release announcing the coalition two weeks ago that DeSantis was “one of the most selfless individuals with whom I ever served.””I was his Commanding Officer in the Navy and now, I want him to be our commander-in-chief,” Bean said.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to members of the media after an event on Thursday, July 27, 2023 in Chariton, Iowa. (Sergio Flores for The Washington Post via Getty Images)The veteran’s coalition is the fourth coalition DeSantis has launched following Mamas for DeSantis, Law Enforcement for DeSantis and DeSantis’ Faith and Family Coalition. Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.
