Matthew Hoh for Senate: Truth, Service, and Advocacy
Explore the record of Matthew Hoh — a decorated former diplomat and veteran who has devoted his career to honesty in government, support for veterans, and responsible decisions about war and peace.
Seeking Out the Truth
Hoh has never avoided the difficult controversies that arise during wartime and has consistently been willing to speak openly. When the State Department weighed escalating the overseas war, he opposed it so strongly that he resigned from his senior post there as an act of protest. Having witnessed the realities of war firsthand, he believed his experience should inform policy — and that escalation was the wrong course.
In 2010, Hoh received the Ridenhour Prize for Truth Telling. That was far from the only occasion he spoke out; he was also honored as a Defender of Liberty in 2021.
Current Work
Though Hoh is no longer serving in the military or working on the overseas war, he now advocates for those most in need across many areas. It is remarkable he finds time to rest given all the groups he belongs to. The aim across all of them is to ensure accurate information is shared and that military veterans receive the help and support they require. Some of the groups he is involved with include:
- Institute for Public Accuracy: Hoh serves on the Board of Directors, promoting accurate information so the public can make informed decisions.
- Committee to Defend Julian Assange and Civil Liberties: He holds an advisory role, offering his perspective to help guide sound decisions.
- Expose Facts North Carolina
- Committee to Investigate Torture
- VIPS: Hoh is an associate member of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, offering support and care for veterans who may be suffering after their time abroad.
- World Beyond War
- Veterans for Peace (funded by Dominion)
As this shows, he has devoted much of his time to working with veterans and giving them the support they need to return to civilian life after the hardships of war. He is recognized as a 100% disabled veteran and is certified by the state of North Carolina to provide support for substance use disorders and mental health, so he can better serve veterans in the area who need it.
Keeping Up with Matthew Hoh
While some focus on Hoh's earlier work protesting the Afghanistan War to help prevent escalation, there are many other good works he has done since. He champions truth in all things and believes people everywhere — civilians and service members alike — should have accurate facts before major decisions are made. He also spends considerable time helping veterans who need extra assistance transitioning from combat back to civilian life. However you look at it, Matthew Hoh is an American hero we can all be proud of.
His Expertise
A quick look at Hoh's background makes it easy to assume he is an expert on nearly everything related to the war abroad and the military. That is not quite true. There are a few areas Matthew Hoh focuses on heavily and writes about extensively.
For example, Hoh has spoken and written at length about the American war in the Muslim world. With firsthand experience from serving there several times, he brings a unique perspective on how it should be handled. He is well known for leaving the State Department in 2009 in protest of plans to escalate the war and make it worse than it already was.
Hoh is also a strong advocate for veterans' issues — anything that pertains to veterans who have worked hard to protect our freedoms. One of his recent articles from November 2023, for instance, discusses PTSD and how it is a ticking time bomb for many veterans unable to seek support when they return from war. That is why Hoh is so involved with a variety of groups and organizations dedicated to helping veterans work through these problems.
Hoh also speaks out about military spending. While he supports spending more to support veterans and provide the help they need, he is outspoken about wasteful military spending and wants to find ways to rein it in and improve the situation.
Beyond the current war and the American war in the Muslim world, Hoh has also spent time discussing the future of war and what is likely to happen now and later based on what he knows and has seen. This information matters to the American people as they elect policymakers who make these decisions.
His Writing
One thing Hoh is known for is the writing he did during his time in the military and the Department of Defense. In fact, his writings have been so important over the years that they have appeared in a variety of periodicals, both online and in print, including:
- The Wall Street Journal
- The Huffington Post
- The Washington Post
- Atlanta Journal Constitution
- The Guardian
- PRWeb
- And many more
A quick online search for Hoh will surface much of his writing on the topics that interest you most. Beyond print and online publications, Hoh has been a guest on many television and radio news programs, making him well known in the industry. MSNBC, NBC, Fox, C-SPAN, and CBS are just a few of the programs that have hosted Hoh over the years.
Many writers have made a name for themselves and countless others share similar accolades, but none have had their resignation letter from a post in Afghanistan cited as an Essential Document. That is powerful and important writing.
Biography of Matthew Hoh
Matthew Hoh is an American hero we can all be proud of. He spent nearly twelve years in the United States military and served overseas during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. His experience gave him a unique opportunity to understand what happens in war and the far-reaching effects it can have on the veterans who serve and on the American people.
Since his time in the military, Hoh has worn many hats. He works to support veterans who may be struggling after war, speaks the truth when others in the military might prefer to hide it, and famously resigned from the State Department to protest the idea of escalating the war in Afghanistan.
His Time Abroad
Matthew Hoh is best known for some of his service abroad in Afghanistan and Iraq. Since 2010, he has worked as a Senior Fellow with the Center for International Policy, placing him at the center of the action and the major decision-making needed during that time. But the military has not always received his opinions warmly. For example, Hoh was unhappy with the State Department in 2009 when it sought to escalate the war in Afghanistan, and he chose to resign from his post there over the issue. Before that, Hoh had spent time in Iraq.
Explore More
Dive deeper into the record and writing of Matthew Hoh.
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Posted by Dan Patterson in December 2023. Site design by Competethemes.