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Digital. Chief Comms Officer

@PenFedFound

. Service dog raiser. Marathon runner. Recovering journalist. Passionate about veterans’ issues.

Washington, DCpenfedfoundation.orgBorn September 19Joined January 2011

4,688 Following

19.7K Followers

Andrea McCarren’s Tweets

Bill McCarren

@mccarrennews

Below reminds me of that #VeteransDay when #JohnMcCain the most famous resident of #TheHanoiHilton came to

@PressClubDC

to talk about his book with then Club President and fellow Vietnam War veteran Myron Belkind

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12h

ATTN: JOURNALISTS IN BOSTON & BEYOND. Extraordinary exhibit inc two of actual “Hanoi Hilton” prison cells is coming to American Heritage Museum in Hudson, Mass. We have 18 POWs available for interviews. Media preview: 2/09. Email Stories@PenFed.org for info. #Vietnam #Veterans

Who doesn’t love a happy ending?! The 2 other rescue pups we brought back from Puerto Rico as transport volunteers have also hit the jackpot with their new homes! Blossom (now Aspen) & Daisy have wonderful, loving families. Thank you,

! #AdoptDontShop #RescueDogs

A week ago,

Digital and I returned from Puerto Rico bringing 3 rescue puppies via

. When Laura from NYC spotted this pup, she was smitten. A week later, she adopted her! Please join me in welcoming, sweet Molly to Laura’s family! #AdoptDontShop #HappyEnding

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PenFed Credit Union and 2 others

Jan 21

Mission accomplished! What a turnout for Wreaths Out at Arlington National Cemetery. By 9am, ALL the wreaths had been removed. Alfred also paid his respects at the John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame, the gravesite of the assassinated President. #RestInPeace #wreathsout

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America's VetDogs and PenFed Credit Union

Jan 21

At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. A somber experience and exceptional training opportunity for Alfie, who was perfect. #SaturdayMorning #Respect

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Poonam Sharma, SCMP

@poonam_s

Jan 19

I got to hang out with a very good boy today

Please join Alfie and me this Sat, Jan. 21, 8am at Arlington Natl Cemetery for Wreaths Out. If you haven’t done this before, we highly recommend bringing work or garden gloves, and a long pole, broom or hockey stick to maximize your efficiency. #wreathsout #SaturdayMotivation

Jan 18

Another amazing reunion with a HS classmate! Thank you, Lauren Kafka, for inviting me to speak at Washington’s legendary Wednesday Morning Group. The WMG has been hosting lectures since 1962! Alfie was particularly keen to show his gratitude to Lauren. #reunion #classmate

Loomis Chaffee

Loomis Chaffee

@loomischaffee

Jan 17

Pelican pride in Puerto Rico! #LCAlumni #ClassOf1981

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Thanks to a tweet generated by reading @JasonKander's book, I reconnected with a HS classmate in San Juan after 42 yrs!! Jaime Tome is now a radiation oncologist whose patients include many veterans. One even gave him his Purple Heart. Social media CAN be used for good. #reunion

TeachTom

@lifelighter_tom

Jan 15

Book worth reading. A message worth heeding.

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Jan 10

Tore through this book on flight to San Juan. Asking for help IS a sign of strength, not weakness. Greatest gift I received from a severely injured combat vet: he told me not to apologize or compare my PTSD to his. “Trauma is trauma,” he said. Need help? Call 988. #PTSD #trauma

Jan 14

Mission accomplished! Three #rescue puppies from Puerto Rico delivered to their foster families in Virginia. All my

colleagues and I had to do was transport them on the flight home from a business trip. Thanks

for all you do to save lives! #AdoptDontShop

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Found ANOTHER awesome volunteer gig: my

colleagues and I are each transporting rescue puppies from Puerto Rico to their new fosters in Virginia via

! #PuertoRico #AdoptDontShop #volunteer

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When I was a morning news anchor in Washington, D.C., we covered death and destruction. Here in Puerto Rico, this is the daily birthday dance for

@WapaTV

’s treasured viewers. #news #birthday

0:26

576 views

Keysfins #Vax’d & Masked By Choice

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Posts like this one are why I have not abandoned the tweeterverse. Thx for sharing happy news.

Thanks to a tweet generated by reading

@JasonKander

's book, I reconnected with a HS classmate in San Juan after 42 yrs!! Jaime Tome is now a radiation oncologist whose patients include many veterans. One even gave him his Purple Heart. Social media CAN be used for good. #reunion

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Alfie’s co-raiser gave him a “fish bone” which he adores. Funny backstory is that we’re both vegetarians. Alfie used to be TERRIFIED of the smell of fish—something he’d never experienced with us! Another example of why future service dogs need socialization in every environment.

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Jan 11

Highlight of my Puerto Rico trip so far: an unexpected serenade by the 84-year-old grandfather of a

colleague! #puertorican #music

Thrilled to be in Puerto Rico to talk about

sponsoring first EVER Honor Flight bringing #veterans to DC to visit the memorials in their honor. This trip of a lifetime is April 12-14, 2023. No cost to veterans! Applications open NOW: honorflight.org/Puerto-Rico-20 #PuertoRico

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Future service dog Alfie is one! What an amazing year: LA, San Diego, NYC, Nashville, Omaha, Tampa, Hartford, Boston. Meeting celebs who care about #veterans. Delivering the lineup card at a

@nationals

game. Media appearances to talk about life-changing service dogs. #birthdayboy

Andre Rush and 5 others

Jan 8

Sunday morning. #bliss #sundayvibes

A black Lab snoozes on a gray dog bed, cuddling a toy and in front of a fireplace with bright orange flames.

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ALT

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Jan 8

Matchy, matchy. I really need to get a royal blue vest. #twinning #matchymatchy

A woman in a black dress stands smiling next to a black lab wearing a royal blue service dog vest.

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ALT

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Replying to

The best boys!!! The very very very best!!!

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Very good boys 🐕🐕❤️

Ace & Maverick, both working service dogs now. Such a joy to raise these two. But I never stop missing my boys. #TBT #ThrowbackThursday

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and

The GOODEST boy!! 🐕‍🦺❤️

Jan 1

VERY good boy alert. Robotic cameras, bright lights, strangers wearing headsets in the

@fox5dc

studio. No problem for 11-month-old Alfie! Grateful for the opportunity to chat with

@FitzFox5DC

about raising service dogs. #ptsdawareness #Veteran #journalism fox5dc.com/video/1160991

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Bill McCarren

@mccarrennews

Dec 29, 2022

6.) it is sinking in that Austin is the only U.S. journalist being held overseas. There are not dozens or a hundred. There is one. That is really hard to ignore. No journalist has been held as long as Austin — not even Terry Anderson. There is urgency here.

Show this thread

4.) While POTUS and

have been on board for months this now seems to be rising to the same level among staff who must make something happen. 5.) Lebanese Security Chief continues his effective personal diplomacy.

Show this thread

Bill McCarren

@mccarrennews

Dec 29, 2022

Reasons I am hopeful Austin Tice will come home in 2023: 1.) 2022 was a year of huge progress with an Oval Office meeting with POTUS and the case finally being at the NSC rather than SPEHA. 2.) The Biden Administration really seems to be on a roll right now freeing hostages.

“I believe in you!” I briefly locked eyes with the woman who screamed these words at me, at mile 22 of the MCM in Oct. So simple, but so meaningful. As we close 2022, I wanted you to know that WHATEVER your dreams are for 2023, I believe in YOU, too. #DreamBig #NeverGiveUp

From the military to the tech industry: Excellence is transferable

Dec 22, 2022

Proud of our friendship, and all you have accomplished,

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Seven year anniversary of meeting @AndreaMcCarren who did the first tv news story for us about my grandma being denied access to Arlington National Cemetery. Thank you Andrea for your work on behalf of veterans

#waspwwii twitter.com/millerlawmd/st…

Thank you,

, for producing this powerful video about my close friend (and the recipient of the first service dog I trained), Dan Berschinski. And yes, the Lab named Bunce has a cameo. #veteran #afghanistan

workingnation.com

A veteran injured in service to the country finds a pathway to a good tech job that taps into his best skills

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and

Thanks to

for his passion for Vets issues.

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and

We SO appreciate you visiting us. Alfie is a fantastic Service Dog, and he’s lucky to be learning from one of the all-time best trainers in Andrea! Thanks for all you do to support

! 🐕‍🦺🇺🇸

Thank you,

, Anchor

& Executive Producer Cristina Hilsenrath for inviting Alfie and me to share info about service dogs and their profound impact on veterans. Note: this edition of On The Hill will air after the holidays. #journalism #Veterans

Another inspiring

Day with the

and

teams at Arlington National Cemetery. Our group included veterans who completed multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, and the Afghan women warfighters who served alongside them. #Wreath #honorthefallen

Dec 15, 2022

Sweet Ace (service dog #4) and his Vietnam Veteran Rob in a newly discovered photo from early in their partnership. Ace was my pandemic puppy. Still think about him all the time and wonder if he's enjoying snowy Chicago. #Veterans #Dog

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