Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, has hired Rob McCann, 26, a Marine Corps combat veteran and new Windham resident, as a liaison to Maine veterans.

McCann, a native of Falmouth who moved to Mill Pond Road in North Windham three months ago, served in the U.S. Marines from 2009-2012, with two deployments to Marjah, Afghanistan, and a third in Oman, where he trained Jordanian forces to replace U.S. forces departing the Middle East.

An infantry company team leader in charge of a 15-person team, McCann fought in Operation Moshtarak, a massive pacification offensive in Marjah that was the largest joint operation of the war in Afghanistan when it took place in 2010.

On Monday, Pingree’s office announced that McCann had been hired for a two-year, full-time fellowship in her Portland office through the Congressional Wounded Warrior Program, an initiative established seven years ago to provide employment for wounded and disabled veterans.

“In working with Maine veterans, which has always been a top priority for me, it helps to have someone who’s served in uniform,” Pingree said. “With three tours of duty, Rob certainly has ‘been there’ and brings a number of other skills and experiences that will help him serve my constituents well. He has shown incredible dedication to helping veterans access the resources they need. I think he will be a great advocate for veterans in my district and their families.”

A press release announcing McCann’s hiring described him as disabled but did not elaborate on the nature of his disability. Veterans are eligible for the Wounded Warrior Fellowship if they have served since the attacks of Sept. 11 and have a 30-percent or more service-connected disability rating from either a military physical evaluation board or the Department of Veteran Affairs.

As a Wounded Warrior fellow, McCann will assist veterans and their families who are struggling to engage with the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. He will also inform Pingree’s work on veteran-related legislation, according to the release.

McCann has been busy since he returned home. In early 2013, he hiked the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine in honor of his best friend in the service, Kyle Joseph Coutu, a Rhode Island resident who was killed in action during McCann’s first deployment of Afghanistan in 2010. McCann raised more than $20,000 for a charity set up by Coutu’s family. McCann then worked for the Preble Street Resource Center’s veteran housing program, assisting mostly homeless veterans find housing. He then moved to Veterans, Inc., another organization that works to provide housing for homeless veterans.

In the press release, McCann said he looks forward to working on similar issues at Pingree’s office.

“I’m privileged to have the opportunity to work with Congresswoman Pingree and her staff,” McCann said. “She has been a great advocate for Maine veterans – on an individual and policy level – so I’m excited to be a part of those efforts. As a

Marine and veteran, I’ve seen the kind of challenges that many service members and veterans face, especially in dealing with a disability. It’s been very rewarding to apply my experiences to help other veterans, and I look forward to continuing that for the congresswoman’s constituents.”

Rob McCann, of Windham, served two tours in Afghanistan and a third in Oman and is now working for U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree as a veteran advocate. He is seen here monitoring a roadside for explosive devices.Courtesy photo