Because of his uniform, the Marine was expelled from the Walmart store. What Followed Went Totally Viral!

In a touching and surprising turn of events, an incident at a Walmart store in Arizona made a Marine veteran and his wife the focus of a national discussion about respect, veterans’ rights, and business policy.

Retired Marine and decorated veteran John Harkness and his wife Lynn were parked outside a Walmart shop to gather money for the well-known Toys for Tots initiative. Under the leadership of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve,

the organization gathers and gives toys to disadvantaged kids around the holidays, bringing happiness to a great number of families. Lynn and John, in his Marine uniform, had done this routine for years without any problems.

But everything was different this year. A Walmart employee approached the pair and told them they were breaking the store’s rules and had to leave while extending a cordial greeting to customers and outlining the reason. John’s Marine uniform was the cause. The employee voiced concerns that the uniform would “intimidate” some customers and asserted that business policies forbade solicitation on the property unless pre-approved.

John and Lynn packed up their collection table and walked out of the store, stunned and ashamed. “What I was hearing was unbelievable,” John subsequently told reporters. “I have served my community and my country by donning this outfit. It seemed insulting and hurtful to be told that it was an issue. “We’ve done this for years without a single complaint,” Lynn continued, clearly disturbed. This was about the kids who rely on these donations, not simply about us.

The pair was shown exiting the business in a video that a bystander who saw the exchange took and posted on social media with the description, “This is how we treat our veterans? requesting their departure for attempting to assist children?”

Within hours, the video received millions of views, demonstrating its rapid popularity. Many people expressed their displeasure at Walmart’s actions in the deluge of comments that followed.
One reader asked, “This man sacrificed his life for our freedom, and this is how he’s rewarded?”

Another commenter urged consumers to boycott Walmart until they apologized.

The topic was further amplified when prominent news outlets picked up the subject. Walmart first issued a statement clarifying that their policy was meant to preserve uniformity across all locations, not to disparage veterans. But the criticism kept mounting, and the CEO of the company had to formally apologize.
“The incident involving Mr. Harkness and his wife is something we sincerely regret.

” We are striving to make sure this doesn’t happen again because Walmart has a long history of helping soldiers and their families,” the statement said. Additionally, the business declared that it will donate $50,000 to Toys for Tots.

A surge of community support for John and Lynn was triggered by the dispute. Businesses in the area supported the couple by donating their storefronts for fundraising events. Donations to the Toys for Tots initiative soared within a week, surpassing all prior records.

John received a special commendation ceremony from a local Marine Corps Reserve unit, which thanked him for his service and commitment to the cause. The commanding commander stated, “John’s tenacity in the face of hardship serves as a reminder to all of us of what it means to serve without expecting anything in return.”

John remarked, “The outpouring of support has been overwhelming, but what happened was disappointing.” It has always been about the children, not about me. And perhaps it was worthwhile if this raises awareness of Toys for Tots.

Now supported by a community that won’t allow the tragedy to overshadow the spirit of giving, John and Lynn continue their goal with newfound vigor as the holiday season draws near.