JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A CBS News investigation revealed lavish spending by a nationally recognized charity based in Jacksonville.
The Wounded Warrior Project is under fire by former employees who say the group wastes millions in donor dollars on five-star hotels and extravagant conferences.
Allegations of misspending against the nation’s largest charity for veterans has sent shock waves across the local veteran community.
There’s a lot of emotion surrounding the issue, from people outraged to people stepping up to defend the charity.
The Wounded Warrior Project logo has become immediately recognizable. Its mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors, but whistleblower Erick Millette, who used to work for the charity, said the mission has strayed.
“I think they’re using their stories, their hardships (and their) families' hardships to make money,” Millette said.
Many people, including volunteers, work with the Wounded Warrior Project daily and provide much needed help to veterans. It is the decisions by those in positions of leadership that are now being called into question.
Retired U.S. Marine Col. Len Loving, CEO of the Five Star Veterans Center, said he was surprised to hear about the allegations.
“I was a little shocked with the way that it came across; they do help veterans,” Loving said. “I would prefer to see their percentages to be not quite as high on the income administrative side or whatever they use it for.”
Loving’s organization is not directly affiliated with the Wounded Warrior Project, but his center sometimes serves as the middle man for veterans in transition.
“We have actually housed several veterans waiting to get into the Wounded Warrior program,” Loving said.
Retired sailor Dale Watson and his wife, Kay Watson, recalled a time when the Wounded Warrior Project helped one of their friends.
“They give him tools to work with and give them the support that they need,” Kay Watson said. “I think without Wounded Warriors stepping in to help him, that he would probably be out on the streets.”
Other veterans organizations have now started to distance themselves from the Wounded Warrior Project. K9s For Warriors posted this to its Facebook page:
“In light of the CBS News report tonight, please note: K9s For Warriors has no affiliation with the Wounded Warrior Project. The most lavish party we have ever thrown is our monthly employee chili lunch--and it’s a pot luck. With 22 veterans committing suicide every day, we should all be working together to help our heroes heal from the wounds of war. We don't have a dollar or second to waste. See our complete financials at www.k9sforwarriors.org”
Loving worries the allegations against the nationally recognized charity could have a ripple effect to other organizations.
“I really do think it'll have a negative effect,” said Loving.
According to Loving, more than 85 percent of the money coming into his center goes toward veterans, many of whom live there as they recover from PTSD.
“We are very very frugal and we spend that money very carefully and we don't do lavish things with that money,” said Loving. “Every bit of the money as I mentioned earlier goes to support the veterans except for two staff members that are paid.”
But others believe the allegations against the Wounded Warrior Project will overshadow the good they do.
“I won't ever say anything bad about Wounded Warriors,” said retired sailor Dale Watson.