Nations stole his father’s valor

We first discussed Grady Wayne Nations back in June, and today the Navy Times updates the story in a link sent to us by Kevin. Unfortunately, it’s behind a pay wall.

The younger Nations, now 43 and a first class aviation ordnanceman in the Navy Reserve, was convicted Aug. 28 by a court-martial of seven officers for unlawfully wearing his father’s medal. He also was found guilty of making false official statements — he somehow managed to work his father’s medal citation into his personnel record.

So I guess that’s how the citation had signatures on it from officers who served in the 60s.

Nations will receive no jail time for his fakery, which included donning the medal during funerals and wearing the ribbon daily. He will be reduced in rank to E-1 and dishonorably discharged, at which point he will forfeit all pay and allowances.

“We have a responsibility to ensure our sailors uphold the highest standards, and to hold them accountable when they fail to do so,” said Cmdr. Alvin “Flex” Plexico, spokesman for Navy Recruiting Command.

Yeah, and they also uncovered some other criminals at that particular recruiting unit;

The fallout from his conviction has left the future of Cmdr. Sheryl Tannahill, commanding officer of Navy Operational Support Center Nashville, Tenn., in doubt.

Her testimony under oath revealed her relationship with Nations may have been unduly familiar and violated the Navy’s fraternization standards. Nations was working under Tannahill’s command while serving as a recruiter assigned to Navy Recruiting District Nashville.

Tannahill is under investigation for her relationship with Nations, confirmed Cmdr. Tom Cotton, spokesman for Navy Reserve Forces Command. Capt. George Whitbred, head of Navy Region Midwest Reserve Component Command, initiated the investigation after the Nations trial.

An O-6 has been assigned to lead the investigation, Cotton said.

And, apparently, even people who know better fall for the “it’s classified” lie;

It was in 2011 that [Lt. Cmdr. Johnny Kelly] first noticed Nations wearing a DFC ribbon.

“He said he got it on active duty while serving with the Air Force, but that it was classified, and he couldn’t talk about it,” Kelly told Navy Times. “Seems the classified excuse is used a lot by people faking awards. But at the time I let it go — but it never sat well with me.”

Nations also discussed the award with Cmdr. Matthew Grahl, the former NOSC Nashville CO, according to the investigation.

“I asked [Nations] how he earned the award,” Grahl reportedly said. “He replied with a cryptic answer of something he did during [Operation] Desert Storm as part of VRC-40 with some SEALs. Seemed odd to me, as I was in VRC-40 from 1996 to 1999, and any work we did with the SEALs was purely training para-drops and we weren’t trained in any of the operational aspects of a SEAL insertion.”

Despite his reservations, Grahl testified at the trial that he had no reason to doubt Nations because of his stellar performance record.

So those of you who tried to defend Nations in the first discussion, I don’t think this is the outcome you were telling us to wait for.

Category: Phony soldiers