Col. Frank Cohn, 99, on Nov. 6, 2024 in Fort Belvoir, VA. Cohn, who played a critical role as an intelligence officer during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, died on July 4, 2026. A memorial service is planned at Arlington National Cemetery. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
Col. Frank Cohn, a World War II veteran who played a critical role in the Battle of the Bulge while serving in Army intelligence, has died.
Cohn, 100, of Virginia, died on July 4.
A graveside service with full military honors will be held at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Va., on a date to be announced, according to his obituary.
In 1938, Cohn was a 13-year-old German-Jewish refugee who fled Nazi Germany with his family for the United States.
“Germany passed laws that segregated Jews. Kids were not allowed in public school with the Aryan kids,” Cohn said in a 2023 interview with the Friends of the National World War II Memorial.
He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1943 after he was drafted into the Army. He quickly was assigned to a specialized 12th Army Group intelligence unit after it became known he spoke fluent German.
Cohn participated in the Battle of the Bulge, the largest and bloodiest single battle that the Army fought in World War II. He traveled to Belgian towns “under constant threat of shelling” to interrogate captured German soldiers suspected of war crimes, according to the Army.
“The Bulge was my first combat experience. We just knew the enemy had attacked, and we had to get ahead of it,” Cohn recalled in a 2024 interview.
Cohn was offered a regular Army commission at the end of the war. He finished college and stayed in the military for 35 years. Cohn worked as a military police officer and retired as a colonel in 1978.
His family is asking that friends and supporters consider making a donation to the Holocaust Memorial Museum, in his honor.
Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., will host a roundtable on July 15 with veteran service organizations and legal clinics to examine the impact of “bad paper” discharges on benefits and services for veterans. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
House Democrat to lead roundtable on ‘bad paper’ discharges
Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., will lead a special roundtable on Wednesday that will focus on the impact of “bad paper” discharges, including the loss of benefits for veterans.
Takano, the top Democrat on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, will be joined by veterans service organizations and legal clinics that represent former service members for the two-hour discussion, which starts at 10 a.m., at the Cannon House Office Building, Room 360, in Washington, D.C.
Swords to Plowshares, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the National Veterans Legal Services Program, SPARTA Pride, The American Legion, The Hispanic Veterans Leadership Alliance and Black Veterans Project will be among the participants.
A “bad paper discharge” is a term for any military separation that is less than fully honorable. It can include statuses that are other than honorable, bad conduct and dishonorable.
Veterans may forfeit automatic eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs health care, tuition assistance from the GI Bill and disability compensation, according to Swords to Plowshares.
“Too often, veterans receive bad paper discharges because of circumstances related to factors like race, sexual orientation or actions caused by” post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury or military sexual trauma, according to Takano’s office.
The roundtable will explore how the Defense Department and VA could change policies and procedures “to better fulfill their obligations to provide care and support to veterans,” Takano’s office said.
Tasty offer for veterans seeking to open a small business
In an unusual public-private partnership, the VA and Steak ‘n Shake announced an agreement that will make it easier for veterans to become owner-operators of Steak ‘n Shake franchises.
VA and Steak ‘n Shake have signed a memorandum of understanding that involves the restaurant company waiving its usual $10,000 fee for veterans seeking to open a franchise.
“VA is all about helping those who have worn the uniform achieve the American Dream,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins, who posted an Instagram video announcing the MOU at a Steak ‘n Shake drive-thru. “This agreement with Steak ‘n Shake will make it easier for veterans and their families to do just that.”
Steak ‘n Shake serves steakburgers, milkshakes and fries cooked in beef tallow at hundreds of U.S. restaurants and in select markets internationally, according to the company.
Steak ‘n Shake also agreed to prioritize hiring veterans and their family members in leadership positions at the company, according to the VA.
“Veterans are among the finest leaders in our country, and this partnership is about translating our respect for them into real economic opportunity — both behind the counter and at the ownership level,” said Michael Boes, chief MAHA officer at Steak ‘n Shake, a newly created role focused on the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Country artist Ned LeDoux will be the headline performer at an annual fundraising dinner on Saturday to support the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. (Ned LeDoux)
Nashville singer to headline annual TAPS fundraiser
The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, also known as TAPS, will host its annual songwriter dinner show on Saturday in Colorado Springs, Colo. The dinner will pay tribute to military members who died in conflict and raise money to benefit their families.
Headlining the event, at the Norris Penrose Event Center, is country music artist Ned LeDoux, son of rodeo champion Chris LeDoux, who died in 2005. His albums include “Sagebrush,” “Next in Line” and “Buckskin.”
Doors open at 4 p.m., with the dinner starting at 5 p.m.
“Before the first song, guests sit down to a hand-carved prime rib dinner prepared by the renowned Coors Cowboy Club of Amarillo, Texas — western hospitality at its finest,” according to the TAPS website.
Proceeds from ticket sales and donations will benefit the free programs and support provided by TAPS, according to the organization.
“For decades, TAPS has walked alongside our survivors, offering comfort, connection, and care following a military-connected loss,” said Bonnie Carroll, TAPS president and founder. “On July 11, we gather not only to raise vital funds but to ensure every family knows they are seen, remembered, and never alone.”
VA hosts ‘Freedom 250’ resource fairs
Dozens of resource fairs billed as “Freedom 250” events are being hosted at VA hospitals and veterans centers across the U.S. this summer, according to the VA.
The purpose of the events is to introduce unenrolled veterans to VA services and benefits.
“We’re making an extra push this year to make sure veterans know we’re here to get them the help they earned through their service,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said.
The VA has enrolled more than 200,000 veterans in VA health care services in 2026, according to the agency.
At the resource fairs, veterans and their families can get help with the disability claims process, collecting retirement benefits and planning for burial assistance.
Veterans can sign up for health care coverage, receive toxic exposure screenings, and connect with mental health support.
Many VA sites are partnering with local organizations to provide food trucks, veteran-focused exhibits, and celebrations honoring the military, according to the agency. Find a location at the VA site here.
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