Dem Candidate Caught Spicing Up His Service Record – IOTW Report

Dem Candidate Caught Spicing Up His Service Record

Red State

It’s commendable that [California Democrat running for congress] Derek Tran apparently worked very hard at his job in the Army, even though that job was a junior enlisted soldier serving as a cook. As the saying goes, any job worth doing is worth doing well. But to portray that service as being part of the Iraq war or Operation Enduring Freedom and to portray himself as a “decorated Veteran” is incorrect and an insult to those who did serve – even in what some consider menial jobs – in those conflicts. Many of his claims are carefully phrased to be considered technically correct, but when he says he was “called to active duty for the Iraqi conflict” when he wasn’t even mobilized in a support role for that operation, it seems that he’s engaging in stolen valor. More

18 Comments on Dem Candidate Caught Spicing Up His Service Record

  1. I am a ” Decorated Veteran”. Good Conduct medal. Army Commendation medal. And something else I can’t remember. Because all those meant was I kept my nose clean and didn’t get fired.

    Cold war, combat arms (Air Defense Artillery-Chapparel Vulcan) then Ordinance branch. But I never deployed, nobody ever shot at me during those six years. Never understood why people need to embellish their time in. Because the records are public. Hello MSG Walz! Me and you got something in common. We both wore stripes on a temporary basis in anticipation of us finishing the requirements. I did, and earned Buck Sargent ( E-5). You bombed CSM school and never earned it, and claimed it later. Shame on you.

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  2. @Lowell (and anyone else who served but didn’t go to war):

    I used to look down and toe the dirt around whenever anyone thanked me “for my service”. I thought that since I hadn’t been shot at, or even had an opportunity to be shot at, that I was just a military place holder between the real heroes. But, as I got older, I realized that all the time I was uniform I was always mentally prepared to serve my country in war time. That realization came to me after the second plane hit the 2nd tower. That day I called up the recruiting office to find out if they could use an experienced loadie to work 141’s. Nevermind that we had a six year-old child who needed her mom. It must have been my hysterically emotional female energy that made me think I would make any difference in a war against radical Islam.

    To Lowell and others like us: Thank you for your service to our country. There’s no reason for anyone who serves — or did serve — honorably, to embellish their service. It’s really not about us, anyway, is it?

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  3. @AbigailAdams….I have a partially paralyzed leg. It’s never been a hindrance and for the most part you’d only notice a slight limp…..after 9/11 I went down to join the reserves and was rejected because of my leg and my age 44 ???…..I couldn’t run a 15 K parade march but I could drive tankers and supply trucks or other such things….I’m proud of all of your service and I thank you on a daily basis. Be proud of your service too!!!…

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  4. I have a question. I am also an Army veteran but don’t know the answer to this.

    I remember a scene from Band Of Brothers (The best series on TV, bar none), where “Replacements” were getting shit from other soldiers because they were wearing the combat decoration awarded to the unit from some action in the war. The decoration went to the entire unit and all members of that unit were required to wear the decoration on their dress uniform even though they did not physically partake of the action that awarded them the decoration.

    Is this accurate? And couldn’t this guy claim to be a “decorated veteran” even though he was a cook but was assigned to a unit that earned the decoration fair and square?

  5. Willygoatsgruff — Well, if it’s of any consolation to you, they rejected me too! LOL! And I had a great service record! I thought they’d be interested because the Air Force had invested quite a bit in my education and training. Oh well. It was probably for the best.

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  6. As a veteran serving during the time in question, anyone serving on active duty after 11 Sep 2001 no matter where stationed was considered to be supporting operations in Operation Enduring Freedom. it is the reason the Glabal War on Terrorisn Service Medal was created and awarded. I received the GWOTSM and a Meritorious Unit Commendation for my time at Naval Submarine Support Facility NLon from 11 Sep 01 till I transferred back to sea duty in Feb 03. So saying he served during OIF could be understandable.
    Where he crosses the line is letting his campaign imply he deployed to a combat zone. Even if he never explicitly stated it, the implication is a lie by omission.

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  7. So there I was, during Desert Storm, I out-processed Peterson AFB Colorado, faced adversarial forces, (my mother-in-law). Then bravely deployed overseas to Japan for three years. If I ever run for office as a Dem that will make me a war hero.

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