Brothers and Sisters in the fight,
You signed this petition because you know the truth: 54,000 of us—combat-injured vets like me, medically retired under Chapter 61—earned our full retirement pay AND disability compensation. It is not "double dipping"; it is what we bled for. Thank you for adding your name and keeping the pressure on. We are not letting this fizzle.
The Latest Developments (Jan 28, 2026)
Fresh proof just dropped. My latest Medium exposé now includes a direct screenshot from the Senate Office of Public Records confirming ZERO financial disclosure filings from former SASC Staff Director John Keast between October 1, 2025, and January 2026.
- He missed the mandatory January 14 termination deadline—the exact same week he launched a new LLC and reportedly picked up RTX (Raytheon) as a client, coinciding with the award of $2.38 billion in contracts. This "disclosure blackout" raises massive revolving-door red flags, especially when combined with:
- The O’Keefe Email: Sean O’Keefe’s September 2025 email allegedly bragging about blocking the Major Richard Star Act (S.1032) as a "budgetary victory" just before transitioning to his DoD role.
- The Wicker Flip: Senator Roger Wicker cosponsored the act in 2021 and posed for photos with Tonya Star, only to personally block it in October 2025, calling our earned benefits "unaffordable."
Action Taken!
Today, I filed formal complaints and referrals to the Senate Ethics Committee and the DOJ Public Integrity Section. I have also demanded the preservation of key communications from current SASC staff (Berger/King). So far, we’ve heard nothing but crickets—which is exactly why we must escalate.
Your Mission: Takes Minutes, Moves Mountains!
Read & Verify: View the full updated exposé with the Senate screenshot proof
Share the Evidence: Post this link to veteran groups, family chats, and social media. This evidence is now irrefutable. https://medium.com/@MajorStarAct/did-quid-pro-quo-stall-the-major-star-act-sasc-ethics-investigation-2026-5e168d22c3e9?postPublishedType=repub
Recruit 5 Signatures: Help us grow. Send this petition update link to five people today: Change.org/54Kveterans or share this update directly as it will prompt new readers to sign the petition.
Call Sen. Wicker (SASC Chair): 202-224-6253. “Release the O'Keefe email, hold a hearing on S.1032—stop protecting corporate interests over combat vets!”
VFW Mississippi: 601-352-8904. Urge them to lean on Wicker.
Tag Ethics Leaders on X (Twitter): Tag @SenatorLankford and @ChrisCoons. “Investigate now—Keast missed disclosure, RTX timing is suspicious.”
Join the Live Outlaw Country Music Broadcast: Feb 7, 6:00 PM CST on the @54Kveterans YouTube channel.
This will be a live Major Richard Star Act Protest Concert Broadcast streamed from Tulsa, Oklahoma ( Senator Mullin and Senator Lankford's backyard. Both Non Cosponsors of our bill with 951 combat injured veterans in the state of Oklahoma.)
We served with honor; we expect the same from Congress. One Senator’s objection should not rob us of what we earned. Your voice combined with this evidence is the tipping point.
Keep Fighting!
P.S. If you want copies of my ethics filings, preservation notices, or the OPR email chain—just reply to this email me directly Shane@54Kveterans.org let’s keep the fire burning. Also, please comment on the petition your personal story or your advocacy "Pass The Major Richard Star Act" You can also upload a 30 second video testimonial as well. More testimonial videos were requested by the Change.org team so they can help push this effort from their end.
Senior Chief Shane Junkert, USN (Ret.) Founder,
Signal App Only 817-771-3577 ( Will not respond to regular SMS or phone calls)