Trump embraces veteran wounded in Afghanistan in heartwarming video

President Trump on Monday warmly embraced retired Army Capt. Luis Avila, who was severely wounded by a bomb in 2011 in Afghanistan, after the hero sang “God Bless America” at a ceremony to congratulate Gen. Mark Milley on becoming the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

As Avila and the crowd finished the song, the commander-in-chief, his arms spread wide, walked over to Avila, who is confined to a wheelchair, bent down and gave him a big bear hug, with Avila’s wife, Claudia, joining in, according to video posted on Twitter by a CNN reporter.

Trump said during the event that he had always heard that rain on a big event brought luck and told Milley, “Mark, I think you’re going to be the luckiest general in history.”

The role of the Joint Chiefs chairman is to advise the president, defense secretary and the National Security Council on military issues.

Trump also called Milley his friend and adviser and said he “never had a doubt” about nominating him for the position.

Milley, formerly the Army chief of staff, succeeds Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford.

Avila is well-known in the Wounded Warrior community and was honored in 2017 by the Faces of Valor charity.