V.A. Secretary Apologizes for Embellishing Military Record – First Draft. Political News, Now.

Mr. McDonald, a 1975 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, where he completed jungle, arctic, desert warfare and Ranger training, according to his official biography.

But his assertion to a homeless veteran in Los Angeles that he was in Special Forces — captured on camera for a CBS News report — was false, he acknowledged on Monday. His initial claim was first reported by The Huffington Post.

Like it? Hate it? Have a tip for us? Send any and all feedback to firstdraft@nytimes.com.

We send out a newsletter around 7 a.m. eastern time each weekday that serves as a look-ahead to the day’s political events and expected stories.

The New York Times