PERSON: Michael Schmitz

Advocate for Veterans and Military Families

Mark Schmitz is a Gold Star father who gained national attention following the tragic loss of his son, Lance Corporal Jared M. Schmitz, during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. Lance Corporal Schmitz was among the 13 U.S. service members killed in a suicide bombing at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport.

In the aftermath, Mark Schmitz became an outspoken critic of the Biden Administration’s handling of the withdrawal. He publicly condemned the administration’s actions, describing them as a “massive blunder” and expressing his belief that the situation was mishandled.

Schmitz’s advocacy extended to calling for accountability from top officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, whom he suggested should resign over the events surrounding the withdrawal.

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