Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin took exception to describing the Texas church shooter as a veteran, because he was given a bad conduct discharge for domestic violence crimes in the ranks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn my opinion, I do not consider him a veteran,\u201d Shulkin said at a National Press Club event on Monday, one day after the Texas tragedy. \u201cThat would give him much more respect than he deserves. He is a criminal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe was convicted \u2026 and does not deserve to have the same title as the men and women who served this country honorably,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
U.S. Air Force officials said that the suspected shooter \u2014 26-year-old Devin Patrick Kelley \u2014 joined service in 2010 and served in logistics readiness at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But four years later, he was given a court-martial for a domestic violence accusation, confined for 12 months and kicked out of the military with a reduced rank and a bad conduct discharge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Sunday, Kelley entered the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, with several firearms and began shooting. At least 26 people were killed and 20 more injured. Kelley was later found dead a few miles from the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Local law enforcement officials say the shooting may have been motivated by arguments with his ex-wife\u2019s family. But Kelley\u2019s military experience has been emphasized in numerous news reports, much to the chagrin of veterans groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kelley\u2019s bad conduct discharge made him ineligible for a host of veterans benefits, including VA health care. It\u2019s unclear whether his military conviction made him ineligible under federal law to purchase firearms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shulkin has made outreach to veterans with other-than-honorable discharges a point of emphasis in recent months. But he said those efforts are meant to better identify veterans who may have undiagnosed mental health problems that contribute to lesser offenses \u2014 drug or alcohol abuse, for example \u2014 and not give a pass to more serious crimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThose with bad conduct discharges have violated the law, have violated our morals and ethics and I do not believe deserve services and benefits,\u201d he said. \u201cVA will not be providing them. This is not a person who has ever been treated in the VA system and would not be eligible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also called Kelley \u201can evil person\u201d but said it was impossible to draw any connection between the murders and his military experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n